diff --git a/src/go/types/stmt.go b/src/go/types/stmt.go
index e0129cf0e0..c6691851fb 100644
--- a/src/go/types/stmt.go
+++ b/src/go/types/stmt.go
@@ -346,7 +346,17 @@ func (check *Checker) stmt(ctxt stmtContext, s ast.Stmt) {
 			check.invalidAST(s.TokPos, "unknown inc/dec operation %s", s.Tok)
 			return
 		}
+
 		var x operand
+		check.expr(&x, s.X)
+		if x.mode == invalid {
+			return
+		}
+		if !isNumeric(x.typ) {
+			check.invalidOp(s.X.Pos(), "%s%s (non-numeric type %s)", s.X, s.Tok, x.typ)
+			return
+		}
+
 		Y := &ast.BasicLit{ValuePos: s.X.Pos(), Kind: token.INT, Value: "1"} // use x's position
 		check.binary(&x, nil, s.X, Y, op)
 		if x.mode == invalid {
diff --git a/src/go/types/testdata/stmt0.src b/src/go/types/testdata/stmt0.src
index b7966ed93d..fec16e1dd7 100644
--- a/src/go/types/testdata/stmt0.src
+++ b/src/go/types/testdata/stmt0.src
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ func incdecs() {
 	const c = 3.14
 	c /* ERROR "cannot assign" */ ++
 	s := "foo"
-	s /* ERROR "cannot convert" */ --
+	s /* ERROR "invalid operation" */ --
 	3.14 /* ERROR "cannot assign" */ ++
 	var (
 		x int