diff --git a/src/go/types/NOTES b/src/go/types/NOTES
index 982cf0b342..1b02386a8b 100644
--- a/src/go/types/NOTES
+++ b/src/go/types/NOTES
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 TODO
 - satisfyBounds is not working correctly
+- no bounds checks in instantiate call (see open issues below)
 - allow recursive type parameterization without need to repeat type parameters
 - if type parameters are repeated in recursive instantiation, they must be the same order
 - implement contract embedding
diff --git a/src/go/types/call.go b/src/go/types/call.go
index c464e37574..2b6fb5fd18 100644
--- a/src/go/types/call.go
+++ b/src/go/types/call.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func (check *Checker) call(x *operand, e *ast.CallExpr) exprKind {
 			}
 
 			// instantiate function signature
-			x.typ = check.subst(x.pos(), sig, sig.tparams, targs)
+			x.typ = check.instantiate(x.pos(), sig, targs)
 			x.mode = value
 			x.expr = e
 			return expression
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ func (check *Checker) arguments(call *ast.CallExpr, sig *Signature, args []*oper
 		if targs == nil {
 			return
 		}
-		rsig = check.subst(call.Pos(), sig, sig.tparams, targs).(*Signature)
+		rsig = check.instantiate(call.Pos(), sig, targs).(*Signature)
 		params = check.subst(call.Pos(), params, sig.tparams, targs).(*Tuple)
 		// TODO(gri) Optimization: We don't need to check arguments
 		//           from which we inferred parameter types.
diff --git a/src/go/types/subst.go b/src/go/types/subst.go
index 2f3ce2eddf..dce998f2c7 100644
--- a/src/go/types/subst.go
+++ b/src/go/types/subst.go
@@ -14,10 +14,9 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
-func (check *Checker) instantiate(pos token.Pos, named *Named, targs []Type) (res Type) {
-	tname := named.obj
+func (check *Checker) instantiate(pos token.Pos, typ Type, targs []Type) (res Type) {
 	if check.conf.Trace {
-		check.trace(pos, "-- instantiating %s with %s", tname, typeListString(targs))
+		check.trace(pos, "-- instantiating %s with %s", typ, typeListString(targs))
 		check.indent++
 		defer func() {
 			check.indent--
@@ -29,8 +28,18 @@ func (check *Checker) instantiate(pos token.Pos, named *Named, targs []Type) (re
 		}()
 	}
 
-	// TODO(gri) What is better here: work with TypeParams, or work with TypeNames?
-	return check.subst(pos, named, tname.tparams, targs)
+	// TODO(gri) need to do a satisfy bounds check here
+
+	switch typ := typ.(type) {
+	case *Named:
+		// TODO(gri) What is better here: work with TypeParams, or work with TypeNames?
+		return check.subst(pos, typ, typ.obj.tparams, targs)
+
+	case *Signature:
+		return check.subst(pos, typ, typ.tparams, targs)
+	}
+
+	panic("unreachable") // only defined types and (defined) functions can be generic
 }
 
 // subst returns the type typ with its type parameters tparams replaced by
diff --git a/src/go/types/typexpr.go b/src/go/types/typexpr.go
index 5318647268..0661fe8ca3 100644
--- a/src/go/types/typexpr.go
+++ b/src/go/types/typexpr.go
@@ -279,8 +279,7 @@ func (check *Checker) typInternal(e ast.Expr, def *Named) (T Type) {
 		}
 
 		// the number of supplied types must match the number of type parameters
-		named, _ := typ.(*Named) // generic types are defined (= Named) types
-		tname := named.obj
+		tname := typ.(*Named).obj // generic types are defined (= Named) types
 		if len(targs) != len(tname.tparams) {
 			// TODO(gri) provide better error message
 			check.errorf(e.Pos(), "got %d arguments but %d type parameters", len(e.Args), len(tname.tparams))
@@ -313,7 +312,7 @@ func (check *Checker) typInternal(e ast.Expr, def *Named) (T Type) {
 		}
 
 		// instantiate parameterized type
-		typ = check.instantiate(e.Pos(), named, targs)
+		typ = check.instantiate(e.Pos(), typ, targs)
 		def.setUnderlying(typ)
 		return typ