diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/dcl.c b/src/cmd/gc/dcl.c
index 78c676346fa..83be82f92fe 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/dcl.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/dcl.c
@@ -438,20 +438,6 @@ newtype(Sym *s)
 	return t;
 }
 
-/*
- * type check top level declarations
- */
-void
-dclchecks(void)
-{
-	NodeList *l;
-
-	for(l=externdcl; l; l=l->next) {
-		if(l->n->op != ONAME)
-			continue;
-		typecheck(&l->n, Erv);
-	}
-}
 
 /*
  * := declarations
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/go.h b/src/cmd/gc/go.h
index f5c0443f84b..d379a0d88a9 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/go.h
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/go.h
@@ -862,7 +862,6 @@ NodeList*	checkarglist(NodeList *all, int input);
 Node*	colas(NodeList *left, NodeList *right);
 void	colasdefn(NodeList *left, Node *defn);
 NodeList*	constiter(NodeList *vl, Node *t, NodeList *cl);
-void	dclchecks(void);
 Node*	dclname(Sym *s);
 void	declare(Node *n, int ctxt);
 Type*	dostruct(NodeList *l, int et);
@@ -1166,6 +1165,11 @@ int	exportassignok(Type *t, char *desc);
 int	islvalue(Node *n);
 Node*	typecheck(Node **np, int top);
 void	typechecklist(NodeList *l, int top);
+Node*	typecheckdef(Node *n);
+void	resumetypecopy(void);
+void	copytype(Node *n, Type *t);
+void	defertypecopy(Node *n, Type *t);
+void	queuemethod(Node *n);
 
 /*
  *	unsafe.c
@@ -1177,15 +1181,10 @@ Node*	unsafenmagic(Node *n);
  */
 Node*	callnew(Type *t);
 Node*	chanfn(char *name, int n, Type *t);
-void	copytype(Node *n, Type *t);
-void	defertypecopy(Node *n, Type *t);
 Node*	mkcall(char *name, Type *t, NodeList **init, ...);
 Node*	mkcall1(Node *fn, Type *t, NodeList **init, ...);
-void	queuemethod(Node *n);
-void	resumetypecopy(void);
 int	vmatch1(Node *l, Node *r);
 void	walk(Node *fn);
-Node*	walkdef(Node *n);
 void	walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init);
 void	walkexprlist(NodeList *l, NodeList **init);
 void	walkexprlistsafe(NodeList *l, NodeList **init);
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/lex.c b/src/cmd/gc/lex.c
index 5e2f73fc5ab..0c36e53a353 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/lex.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/lex.c
@@ -274,7 +274,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			funccompile(l->n, 1);
 	}
 
-	dclchecks();
+	for(l=externdcl; l; l=l->next)
+		if(l->n->op == ONAME)
+			typecheck(&l->n, Erv);
 
 	if(nerrors)
 		errorexit();
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c b/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c
index 44d08352da7..04dc1a5077d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
  * evaluates compile time constants.
  * marks variables that escape the local frame.
  * rewrites n->op to be more specific in some cases.
- * sets n->walk to walking function.
  */
 
 #include "go.h"
@@ -33,6 +32,8 @@ static void	stringtoarraylit(Node**);
 static Node*	resolve(Node*);
 static Type*	getforwtype(Node*);
 
+static	NodeList*	typecheckdefstack;
+
 /*
  * resolve ONONAME to definition, if any.
  */
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ typecheck(Node **np, int top)
 		if(n->op == OTYPE && (ft = getforwtype(n->ntype)) != T)
 			defertypecopy(n, ft);
 
-		walkdef(n);
+		typecheckdef(n);
 		n->realtype = n->type;
 		if(n->op == ONONAME)
 			goto error;
@@ -2523,3 +2524,294 @@ getforwtype(Node *n)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+static int ntypecheckdeftype;
+static NodeList *methodqueue;
+
+static void
+domethod(Node *n)
+{
+	Node *nt;
+
+	nt = n->type->nname;
+	typecheck(&nt, Etype);
+	if(nt->type == T) {
+		// type check failed; leave empty func
+		n->type->etype = TFUNC;
+		n->type->nod = N;
+		return;
+	}
+	*n->type = *nt->type;
+	n->type->nod = N;
+	checkwidth(n->type);
+}
+
+typedef struct NodeTypeList NodeTypeList;
+struct NodeTypeList {
+	Node *n;
+	Type *t;
+	NodeTypeList *next;
+};
+
+static	NodeTypeList	*dntq;
+static	NodeTypeList	*dntend;
+
+void
+defertypecopy(Node *n, Type *t)
+{
+	NodeTypeList *ntl;
+
+	if(n == N || t == T)
+		return;
+
+	ntl = mal(sizeof *ntl);
+	ntl->n = n;
+	ntl->t = t;
+	ntl->next = nil;
+
+	if(dntq == nil)
+		dntq = ntl;
+	else
+		dntend->next = ntl;
+
+	dntend = ntl;
+}
+
+void
+resumetypecopy(void)
+{
+	NodeTypeList *l;
+
+	for(l=dntq; l; l=l->next)
+		copytype(l->n, l->t);
+}
+
+void
+copytype(Node *n, Type *t)
+{
+	*n->type = *t;
+
+	t = n->type;
+	t->sym = n->sym;
+	t->local = n->local;
+	t->vargen = n->vargen;
+	t->siggen = 0;
+	t->method = nil;
+	t->nod = N;
+	t->printed = 0;
+	t->deferwidth = 0;
+}
+
+static void
+typecheckdeftype(Node *n)
+{
+	int maplineno, embedlineno, lno;
+	Type *t;
+	NodeList *l;
+
+	ntypecheckdeftype++;
+	lno = lineno;
+	setlineno(n);
+	n->type->sym = n->sym;
+	n->typecheck = 1;
+	typecheck(&n->ntype, Etype);
+	if((t = n->ntype->type) == T) {
+		n->diag = 1;
+		goto ret;
+	}
+	if(n->type == T) {
+		n->diag = 1;
+		goto ret;
+	}
+
+	maplineno = n->type->maplineno;
+	embedlineno = n->type->embedlineno;
+
+	// copy new type and clear fields
+	// that don't come along.
+	// anything zeroed here must be zeroed in
+	// typedcl2 too.
+	copytype(n, t);
+
+	// double-check use of type as map key.
+	if(maplineno) {
+		lineno = maplineno;
+		maptype(n->type, types[TBOOL]);
+	}
+	if(embedlineno) {
+		lineno = embedlineno;
+		if(isptr[t->etype])
+			yyerror("embedded type cannot be a pointer");
+	}
+
+ret:
+	lineno = lno;
+
+	// if there are no type definitions going on, it's safe to
+	// try to resolve the method types for the interfaces
+	// we just read.
+	if(ntypecheckdeftype == 1) {
+		while((l = methodqueue) != nil) {
+			methodqueue = nil;
+			for(; l; l=l->next)
+				domethod(l->n);
+		}
+	}
+	ntypecheckdeftype--;
+}
+
+void
+queuemethod(Node *n)
+{
+	if(ntypecheckdeftype == 0) {
+		domethod(n);
+		return;
+	}
+	methodqueue = list(methodqueue, n);
+}
+
+Node*
+typecheckdef(Node *n)
+{
+	int lno;
+	Node *e;
+	Type *t;
+	NodeList *l;
+
+	lno = lineno;
+	setlineno(n);
+
+	if(n->op == ONONAME) {
+		if(!n->diag) {
+			n->diag = 1;
+			if(n->lineno != 0)
+				lineno = n->lineno;
+			yyerror("undefined: %S", n->sym);
+		}
+		return n;
+	}
+
+	if(n->walkdef == 1)
+		return n;
+
+	l = mal(sizeof *l);
+	l->n = n;
+	l->next = typecheckdefstack;
+	typecheckdefstack = l;
+
+	if(n->walkdef == 2) {
+		flusherrors();
+		print("typecheckdef loop:");
+		for(l=typecheckdefstack; l; l=l->next)
+			print(" %S", l->n->sym);
+		print("\n");
+		fatal("typecheckdef loop");
+	}
+	n->walkdef = 2;
+
+	if(n->type != T || n->sym == S)	// builtin or no name
+		goto ret;
+
+	switch(n->op) {
+	default:
+		fatal("typecheckdef %O", n->op);
+
+	case OLITERAL:
+		if(n->ntype != N) {
+			typecheck(&n->ntype, Etype);
+			n->type = n->ntype->type;
+			n->ntype = N;
+			if(n->type == T) {
+				n->diag = 1;
+				goto ret;
+			}
+		}
+		e = n->defn;
+		n->defn = N;
+		if(e == N) {
+			lineno = n->lineno;
+			dump("typecheckdef nil defn", n);
+			yyerror("xxx");
+		}
+		typecheck(&e, Erv | Eiota);
+		if(e->type != T && e->op != OLITERAL) {
+			yyerror("const initializer must be constant");
+			goto ret;
+		}
+		if(isconst(e, CTNIL)) {
+			yyerror("const initializer cannot be nil");
+			goto ret;
+		}
+		t = n->type;
+		if(t != T) {
+			if(!okforconst[t->etype]) {
+				yyerror("invalid constant type %T", t);
+				goto ret;
+			}
+			if(!isideal(e->type) && !eqtype(t, e->type)) {
+				yyerror("cannot use %+N as type %T in const initializer", e, t);
+				goto ret;
+			}
+			convlit(&e, t);
+		}
+		n->val = e->val;
+		n->type = e->type;
+		break;
+
+	case ONAME:
+		if(n->ntype != N) {
+			typecheck(&n->ntype, Etype);
+			n->type = n->ntype->type;
+			if(n->type == T) {
+				n->diag = 1;
+				goto ret;
+			}
+		}
+		if(n->type != T)
+			break;
+		if(n->defn == N) {
+			if(n->etype != 0)	// like OPRINTN
+				break;
+			if(nerrors > 0) {
+				// Can have undefined variables in x := foo
+				// that make x have an n->ndefn == nil.
+				// If there are other errors anyway, don't
+				// bother adding to the noise.
+				break;
+			}
+			fatal("var without type, init: %S", n->sym);
+		}
+		if(n->defn->op == ONAME) {
+			typecheck(&n->defn, Erv);
+			n->type = n->defn->type;
+			break;
+		}
+		typecheck(&n->defn, Etop);	// fills in n->type
+		break;
+
+	case OTYPE:
+		if(curfn)
+			defercheckwidth();
+		n->walkdef = 1;
+		n->type = typ(TFORW);
+		n->type->sym = n->sym;
+		typecheckdeftype(n);
+		if(curfn)
+			resumecheckwidth();
+		break;
+
+	case OPACK:
+		// nothing to see here
+		break;
+	}
+
+ret:
+	if(typecheckdefstack->n != n)
+		fatal("typecheckdefstack mismatch");
+	l = typecheckdefstack;
+	typecheckdefstack = l->next;
+
+	lineno = lno;
+	n->walkdef = 1;
+	return n;
+}
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/walk.c b/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
index ccc65ff2158..65a504bff5f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ static	Node*	addstr(Node*, NodeList**);
 static	Node*	appendslice(Node*, NodeList**);
 static	Node*	append(Node*, NodeList**);
 
-static	NodeList*	walkdefstack;
-
 // can this code branch reach the end
 // without an unconditional RETURN
 // this is hard, so it is conservative
@@ -100,296 +98,6 @@ walk(Node *fn)
 	}
 }
 
-static int nwalkdeftype;
-static NodeList *methodqueue;
-
-static void
-domethod(Node *n)
-{
-	Node *nt;
-
-	nt = n->type->nname;
-	typecheck(&nt, Etype);
-	if(nt->type == T) {
-		// type check failed; leave empty func
-		n->type->etype = TFUNC;
-		n->type->nod = N;
-		return;
-	}
-	*n->type = *nt->type;
-	n->type->nod = N;
-	checkwidth(n->type);
-}
-
-typedef struct NodeTypeList NodeTypeList;
-struct NodeTypeList {
-	Node *n;
-	Type *t;
-	NodeTypeList *next;
-};
-
-static	NodeTypeList	*dntq;
-static	NodeTypeList	*dntend;
-
-void
-defertypecopy(Node *n, Type *t)
-{
-	NodeTypeList *ntl;
-
-	if(n == N || t == T)
-		return;
-
-	ntl = mal(sizeof *ntl);
-	ntl->n = n;
-	ntl->t = t;
-	ntl->next = nil;
-
-	if(dntq == nil)
-		dntq = ntl;
-	else
-		dntend->next = ntl;
-
-	dntend = ntl;
-}
-
-void
-resumetypecopy(void)
-{
-	NodeTypeList *l;
-
-	for(l=dntq; l; l=l->next)
-		copytype(l->n, l->t);
-}
-
-void
-copytype(Node *n, Type *t)
-{
-	*n->type = *t;
-
-	t = n->type;
-	t->sym = n->sym;
-	t->local = n->local;
-	t->vargen = n->vargen;
-	t->siggen = 0;
-	t->method = nil;
-	t->nod = N;
-	t->printed = 0;
-	t->deferwidth = 0;
-}
-
-static void
-walkdeftype(Node *n)
-{
-	int maplineno, embedlineno, lno;
-	Type *t;
-	NodeList *l;
-
-	nwalkdeftype++;
-	lno = lineno;
-	setlineno(n);
-	n->type->sym = n->sym;
-	n->typecheck = 1;
-	typecheck(&n->ntype, Etype);
-	if((t = n->ntype->type) == T) {
-		n->diag = 1;
-		goto ret;
-	}
-	if(n->type == T) {
-		n->diag = 1;
-		goto ret;
-	}
-
-	maplineno = n->type->maplineno;
-	embedlineno = n->type->embedlineno;
-
-	// copy new type and clear fields
-	// that don't come along.
-	// anything zeroed here must be zeroed in
-	// typedcl2 too.
-	copytype(n, t);
-
-	// double-check use of type as map key.
-	if(maplineno) {
-		lineno = maplineno;
-		maptype(n->type, types[TBOOL]);
-	}
-	if(embedlineno) {
-		lineno = embedlineno;
-		if(isptr[t->etype])
-			yyerror("embedded type cannot be a pointer");
-	}
-
-ret:
-	lineno = lno;
-
-	// if there are no type definitions going on, it's safe to
-	// try to resolve the method types for the interfaces
-	// we just read.
-	if(nwalkdeftype == 1) {
-		while((l = methodqueue) != nil) {
-			methodqueue = nil;
-			for(; l; l=l->next)
-				domethod(l->n);
-		}
-	}
-	nwalkdeftype--;
-}
-
-void
-queuemethod(Node *n)
-{
-	if(nwalkdeftype == 0) {
-		domethod(n);
-		return;
-	}
-	methodqueue = list(methodqueue, n);
-}
-
-Node*
-walkdef(Node *n)
-{
-	int lno;
-	Node *e;
-	Type *t;
-	NodeList *l;
-
-	lno = lineno;
-	setlineno(n);
-
-	if(n->op == ONONAME) {
-		if(!n->diag) {
-			n->diag = 1;
-			if(n->lineno != 0)
-				lineno = n->lineno;
-			yyerror("undefined: %S", n->sym);
-		}
-		return n;
-	}
-
-	if(n->walkdef == 1)
-		return n;
-
-	l = mal(sizeof *l);
-	l->n = n;
-	l->next = walkdefstack;
-	walkdefstack = l;
-
-	if(n->walkdef == 2) {
-		flusherrors();
-		print("walkdef loop:");
-		for(l=walkdefstack; l; l=l->next)
-			print(" %S", l->n->sym);
-		print("\n");
-		fatal("walkdef loop");
-	}
-	n->walkdef = 2;
-
-	if(n->type != T || n->sym == S)	// builtin or no name
-		goto ret;
-
-	switch(n->op) {
-	default:
-		fatal("walkdef %O", n->op);
-
-	case OLITERAL:
-		if(n->ntype != N) {
-			typecheck(&n->ntype, Etype);
-			n->type = n->ntype->type;
-			n->ntype = N;
-			if(n->type == T) {
-				n->diag = 1;
-				goto ret;
-			}
-		}
-		e = n->defn;
-		n->defn = N;
-		if(e == N) {
-			lineno = n->lineno;
-			dump("walkdef nil defn", n);
-			yyerror("xxx");
-		}
-		typecheck(&e, Erv | Eiota);
-		if(e->type != T && e->op != OLITERAL) {
-			yyerror("const initializer must be constant");
-			goto ret;
-		}
-		if(isconst(e, CTNIL)) {
-			yyerror("const initializer cannot be nil");
-			goto ret;
-		}
-		t = n->type;
-		if(t != T) {
-			if(!okforconst[t->etype]) {
-				yyerror("invalid constant type %T", t);
-				goto ret;
-			}
-			if(!isideal(e->type) && !eqtype(t, e->type)) {
-				yyerror("cannot use %+N as type %T in const initializer", e, t);
-				goto ret;
-			}
-			convlit(&e, t);
-		}
-		n->val = e->val;
-		n->type = e->type;
-		break;
-
-	case ONAME:
-		if(n->ntype != N) {
-			typecheck(&n->ntype, Etype);
-			n->type = n->ntype->type;
-			if(n->type == T) {
-				n->diag = 1;
-				goto ret;
-			}
-		}
-		if(n->type != T)
-			break;
-		if(n->defn == N) {
-			if(n->etype != 0)	// like OPRINTN
-				break;
-			if(nerrors > 0) {
-				// Can have undefined variables in x := foo
-				// that make x have an n->ndefn == nil.
-				// If there are other errors anyway, don't
-				// bother adding to the noise.
-				break;
-			}
-			fatal("var without type, init: %S", n->sym);
-		}
-		if(n->defn->op == ONAME) {
-			typecheck(&n->defn, Erv);
-			n->type = n->defn->type;
-			break;
-		}
-		typecheck(&n->defn, Etop);	// fills in n->type
-		break;
-
-	case OTYPE:
-		if(curfn)
-			defercheckwidth();
-		n->walkdef = 1;
-		n->type = typ(TFORW);
-		n->type->sym = n->sym;
-		walkdeftype(n);
-		if(curfn)
-			resumecheckwidth();
-		break;
-
-	case OPACK:
-		// nothing to see here
-		break;
-	}
-
-ret:
-	if(walkdefstack->n != n)
-		fatal("walkdefstack mismatch");
-	l = walkdefstack;
-	walkdefstack = l->next;
-
-	lineno = lno;
-	n->walkdef = 1;
-	return n;
-}
 
 void
 walkstmtlist(NodeList *l)