diff --git a/src/cmd/vet/dead.go b/src/cmd/vet/dead.go
index 130f619626..0facec5525 100644
--- a/src/cmd/vet/dead.go
+++ b/src/cmd/vet/dead.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func (f *File) updateDead(node ast.Node) {
 				}
 				for _, expr := range cc.List {
 					v := f.pkg.types[expr].Value
-					if v == nil || constant.BoolVal(v) {
+					if v == nil || v.Kind() != constant.Bool || constant.BoolVal(v) {
 						continue BodyLoopBool
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/src/cmd/vet/testdata/deadcode.go b/src/cmd/vet/testdata/deadcode.go
index 5370bc32f6..d1a7adee38 100644
--- a/src/cmd/vet/testdata/deadcode.go
+++ b/src/cmd/vet/testdata/deadcode.go
@@ -2123,3 +2123,12 @@ var _ = func() {
 	// goto without label used to panic
 	goto
 }
+
+func _() int {
+	// Empty switch tag with non-bool case value used to panic.
+	switch {
+	case 1:
+		println()
+	}
+	println()
+}