diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/test/abiutils_test.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/test/abiutils_test.go
index 839546bcb8..f26cb89c6d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/test/abiutils_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/test/abiutils_test.go
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ func TestABIUtilsSliceString(t *testing.T) {
 	//      p6 int64, p6 []intr32) (r1 string, r2 int64, r3 string, r4 []int32)
 	i32 := types.Types[types.TINT32]
 	sli32 := types.NewSlice(i32)
-	str := types.New(types.TSTRING)
+	str := types.Types[types.TSTRING]
 	i8 := types.Types[types.TINT8]
 	i64 := types.Types[types.TINT64]
 	ft := mkFuncType(nil, []*types.Type{sli32, i8, sli32, i8, str, i8, i64, sli32},
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/universe.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/universe.go
index ebe338e2aa..0254d96e68 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/universe.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/universe.go
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ func InitUniverse() {
 	types.BlankSym = s
 	s.Block = -100
 	s.Def = NewName(s)
-	types.Types[types.TBLANK] = types.New(types.TBLANK)
 	ir.AsNode(s.Def).SetType(types.Types[types.TBLANK])
 	ir.BlankNode = ir.AsNode(s.Def)
 	ir.BlankNode.SetTypecheck(1)
@@ -102,10 +101,8 @@ func InitUniverse() {
 	s = types.BuiltinPkg.Lookup("_")
 	s.Block = -100
 	s.Def = NewName(s)
-	types.Types[types.TBLANK] = types.New(types.TBLANK)
 	ir.AsNode(s.Def).SetType(types.Types[types.TBLANK])
 
-	types.Types[types.TNIL] = types.New(types.TNIL)
 	s = types.BuiltinPkg.Lookup("nil")
 	nnil := NodNil()
 	nnil.(*ir.NilExpr).SetSym(s)
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types/type.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types/type.go
index 6f4bd0c114..6070e15868 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types/type.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types/type.go
@@ -127,14 +127,14 @@ var (
 	ComparableType *Type
 
 	// Types to represent untyped string and boolean constants.
-	UntypedString = New(TSTRING)
-	UntypedBool   = New(TBOOL)
+	UntypedString = newType(TSTRING)
+	UntypedBool   = newType(TBOOL)
 
 	// Types to represent untyped numeric constants.
-	UntypedInt     = New(TIDEAL)
-	UntypedRune    = New(TIDEAL)
-	UntypedFloat   = New(TIDEAL)
-	UntypedComplex = New(TIDEAL)
+	UntypedInt     = newType(TIDEAL)
+	UntypedRune    = newType(TIDEAL)
+	UntypedFloat   = newType(TIDEAL)
+	UntypedComplex = newType(TIDEAL)
 )
 
 // A Type represents a Go type.
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ func (f *Fields) Append(s ...*Field) {
 }
 
 // New returns a new Type of the specified kind.
-func New(et Kind) *Type {
+func newType(et Kind) *Type {
 	t := &Type{
 		kind:  et,
 		width: BADWIDTH,
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ func NewArray(elem *Type, bound int64) *Type {
 	if bound < 0 {
 		base.Fatalf("NewArray: invalid bound %v", bound)
 	}
-	t := New(TARRAY)
+	t := newType(TARRAY)
 	t.extra = &Array{Elem: elem, Bound: bound}
 	t.SetNotInHeap(elem.NotInHeap())
 	if elem.HasTParam() {
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ func NewSlice(elem *Type) *Type {
 		return t
 	}
 
-	t := New(TSLICE)
+	t := newType(TSLICE)
 	t.extra = Slice{Elem: elem}
 	elem.cache.slice = t
 	if elem.HasTParam() {
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ func NewSlice(elem *Type) *Type {
 
 // NewChan returns a new chan Type with direction dir.
 func NewChan(elem *Type, dir ChanDir) *Type {
-	t := New(TCHAN)
+	t := newType(TCHAN)
 	ct := t.ChanType()
 	ct.Elem = elem
 	ct.Dir = dir
@@ -678,7 +678,7 @@ func NewChan(elem *Type, dir ChanDir) *Type {
 }
 
 func NewTuple(t1, t2 *Type) *Type {
-	t := New(TTUPLE)
+	t := newType(TTUPLE)
 	t.extra.(*Tuple).first = t1
 	t.extra.(*Tuple).second = t2
 	if t1.HasTParam() || t2.HasTParam() {
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ func NewTuple(t1, t2 *Type) *Type {
 }
 
 func newResults(types []*Type) *Type {
-	t := New(TRESULTS)
+	t := newType(TRESULTS)
 	t.extra.(*Results).Types = types
 	return t
 }
@@ -704,14 +704,14 @@ func NewResults(types []*Type) *Type {
 }
 
 func newSSA(name string) *Type {
-	t := New(TSSA)
+	t := newType(TSSA)
 	t.extra = name
 	return t
 }
 
 // NewMap returns a new map Type with key type k and element (aka value) type v.
 func NewMap(k, v *Type) *Type {
-	t := New(TMAP)
+	t := newType(TMAP)
 	mt := t.MapType()
 	mt.Key = k
 	mt.Elem = v
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ func NewPtr(elem *Type) *Type {
 		return t
 	}
 
-	t := New(TPTR)
+	t := newType(TPTR)
 	t.extra = Ptr{Elem: elem}
 	t.width = int64(PtrSize)
 	t.align = uint8(PtrSize)
@@ -769,14 +769,14 @@ func NewPtr(elem *Type) *Type {
 
 // NewChanArgs returns a new TCHANARGS type for channel type c.
 func NewChanArgs(c *Type) *Type {
-	t := New(TCHANARGS)
+	t := newType(TCHANARGS)
 	t.extra = ChanArgs{T: c}
 	return t
 }
 
 // NewFuncArgs returns a new TFUNCARGS type for func type f.
 func NewFuncArgs(f *Type) *Type {
-	t := New(TFUNCARGS)
+	t := newType(TFUNCARGS)
 	t.extra = FuncArgs{T: f}
 	return t
 }
@@ -1738,7 +1738,7 @@ var recvType *Type
 // FakeRecvType returns the singleton type used for interface method receivers.
 func FakeRecvType() *Type {
 	if recvType == nil {
-		recvType = NewPtr(New(TSTRUCT))
+		recvType = NewPtr(newType(TSTRUCT))
 	}
 	return recvType
 }
@@ -1763,7 +1763,7 @@ var (
 // maintained until the type is filled in, so those references can be updated when
 // the type is complete.
 func NewNamed(obj Object) *Type {
-	t := New(TFORW)
+	t := newType(TFORW)
 	t.sym = obj.Sym()
 	t.nod = obj
 	return t
@@ -1867,8 +1867,8 @@ func fieldsHasShape(fields []*Field) bool {
 }
 
 // NewBasic returns a new basic type of the given kind.
-func NewBasic(kind Kind, obj Object) *Type {
-	t := New(kind)
+func newBasic(kind Kind, obj Object) *Type {
+	t := newType(kind)
 	t.sym = obj.Sym()
 	t.nod = obj
 	return t
@@ -1877,7 +1877,7 @@ func NewBasic(kind Kind, obj Object) *Type {
 // NewInterface returns a new interface for the given methods and
 // embedded types. Embedded types are specified as fields with no Sym.
 func NewInterface(pkg *Pkg, methods []*Field) *Type {
-	t := New(TINTER)
+	t := newType(TINTER)
 	t.SetInterface(methods)
 	for _, f := range methods {
 		// f.Type could be nil for a broken interface declaration
@@ -1900,7 +1900,7 @@ func NewInterface(pkg *Pkg, methods []*Field) *Type {
 // NewTypeParam returns a new type param with the specified sym (package and name)
 // and specified index within the typeparam list.
 func NewTypeParam(sym *Sym, index int) *Type {
-	t := New(TTYPEPARAM)
+	t := newType(TTYPEPARAM)
 	t.sym = sym
 	t.extra.(*Typeparam).index = index
 	t.SetHasTParam(true)
@@ -1934,7 +1934,7 @@ func (t *Type) Bound() *Type {
 // NewUnion returns a new union with the specified set of terms (types). If
 // tildes[i] is true, then terms[i] represents ~T, rather than just T.
 func NewUnion(terms []*Type, tildes []bool) *Type {
-	t := New(TUNION)
+	t := newType(TUNION)
 	if len(terms) != len(tildes) {
 		base.Fatalf("Mismatched terms and tildes for NewUnion")
 	}
@@ -1982,7 +1982,7 @@ func NewSignature(pkg *Pkg, recv *Field, tparams, params, results []*Field) *Typ
 		recvs = []*Field{recv}
 	}
 
-	t := New(TFUNC)
+	t := newType(TFUNC)
 	ft := t.FuncType()
 
 	funargs := func(fields []*Field, funarg Funarg) *Type {
@@ -2018,7 +2018,7 @@ func NewSignature(pkg *Pkg, recv *Field, tparams, params, results []*Field) *Typ
 
 // NewStruct returns a new struct with the given fields.
 func NewStruct(pkg *Pkg, fields []*Field) *Type {
-	t := New(TSTRUCT)
+	t := newType(TSTRUCT)
 	t.SetFields(fields)
 	if anyBroke(fields) {
 		t.SetBroke(true)
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types/universe.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types/universe.go
index abceecd15d..1291b0e0fa 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/types/universe.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/types/universe.go
@@ -57,11 +57,11 @@ func InitTypes(defTypeName func(sym *Sym, typ *Type) Object) {
 		SimType[et] = et
 	}
 
-	Types[TANY] = New(TANY)
+	Types[TANY] = newType(TANY)
 	Types[TINTER] = NewInterface(LocalPkg, nil)
 
 	defBasic := func(kind Kind, pkg *Pkg, name string) *Type {
-		typ := New(kind)
+		typ := newType(kind)
 		obj := defTypeName(pkg.Lookup(name), typ)
 		typ.sym = obj.Sym()
 		typ.nod = obj
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ func InitTypes(defTypeName func(sym *Sym, typ *Type) Object) {
 
 	Types[TUNSAFEPTR] = defBasic(TUNSAFEPTR, UnsafePkg, "Pointer")
 
+	Types[TBLANK] = newType(TBLANK)
+	Types[TNIL] = newType(TNIL)
+
 	// simple aliases
 	SimType[TMAP] = TPTR
 	SimType[TCHAN] = TPTR