diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/walk.c b/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
index 96cd4005412..60d5a9d022c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
@@ -1945,8 +1945,13 @@ mkdotargs(Node *r, Node *rr, Iter *saver, Node *nn, Type *l, int fp)
 	st = typ(TSTRUCT);	// generated structure
 	ft = T;			// last field
 	while(r != N) {
+		if(r->op == OLITERAL && r->val.ctype == CTNIL) {
+			if(r->type == T || r->type->etype == TNIL) {
+				yyerror("inappropriate use of nil in ... argument");
+				return N;
+			}
+		}
 		defaultlit(r, T);
-
 		if(r->type == T)	// type check failed
 			return N;
 
diff --git a/test/bugs/bug153.go b/test/fixedbugs/bug153.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/bugs/bug153.go
rename to test/fixedbugs/bug153.go
diff --git a/test/golden.out b/test/golden.out
index 6a7756babb4..6bc8837d49c 100644
--- a/test/golden.out
+++ b/test/golden.out
@@ -108,10 +108,6 @@ BUG: should crash
 bugs/bug149.go:14: cannot convert []uint8 constant to string
 BUG: should compile
 
-=========== bugs/bug153.go
-BUG: errchk: bugs/bug153.go:9: error message does not match 'nil'
-bugs/bug153.go:9: fatal error: dowidth: unknown type: E-34
-
 =========== fixedbugs/bug016.go
 fixedbugs/bug016.go:7: constant -3 overflows uint