diff --git a/src/go/types/errorcodes.go b/src/go/types/errorcodes.go
index bcc850f7538..49c6a74c20d 100644
--- a/src/go/types/errorcodes.go
+++ b/src/go/types/errorcodes.go
@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ const (
 	// context in which it is used.
 	//
 	// Example:
-	//  var _ = 1 + nil
+	//  var _ = 1 + new(int)
 	_InvalidUntypedConversion
 
 	// _BadOffsetofSyntax occurs when unsafe.Offsetof is called with an argument
diff --git a/src/go/types/expr.go b/src/go/types/expr.go
index 2fc5aa85d2e..fac5a5e31d4 100644
--- a/src/go/types/expr.go
+++ b/src/go/types/expr.go
@@ -967,6 +967,12 @@ func (check *Checker) binary(x *operand, e ast.Expr, lhs, rhs ast.Expr, op token
 		if isString(x.typ) != isString(y.typ) {
 			return false
 		}
+		if x.isNil() && !hasNil(y.typ) {
+			return false
+		}
+		if y.isNil() && !hasNil(x.typ) {
+			return false
+		}
 		return true
 	}
 	if canMix(x, &y) {
diff --git a/src/go/types/testdata/check/expr2.src b/src/go/types/testdata/check/expr2.src
index f9726b5de53..8757fd9e487 100644
--- a/src/go/types/testdata/check/expr2.src
+++ b/src/go/types/testdata/check/expr2.src
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func arrays() {
 	_ = a == b
 	_ = a != b
 	_ = a /* ERROR < not defined */ < b
-	_ = a == nil /* ERROR cannot convert */
+	_ = a /* ERROR cannot compare.*mismatched types */ == nil
 
 	type C [10]int
 	var c C
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func structs() {
 	_ = s == t
 	_ = s != t
 	_ = s /* ERROR < not defined */ < t
-	_ = s == nil /* ERROR cannot convert */
+	_ = s /* ERROR cannot compare.*mismatched types */ == nil
 
 	type S struct {
 		x int