diff --git a/src/go/types/NOTES b/src/go/types/NOTES
index 9f8ef96d10..b68c2cc650 100644
--- a/src/go/types/NOTES
+++ b/src/go/types/NOTES
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ so we have a better track record. I only switched to this file in Nov 2019, henc
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 TODO
 
+- implement type-checking for type parameters with pointer designation in contracts
+- figure out how to translate methods with pointer designation into interface bounds
 - review use of Contract.TParams field - it seems like it's only needed for length checks?
 - review handling of fields of instantiated generic types (do we need to make them non-parameterized,
   similar to what we did for the embedded interfaces created by contract embedding?)
diff --git a/src/go/types/contracts.go b/src/go/types/contracts.go
index 1dae945e76..e20ce1d1e0 100644
--- a/src/go/types/contracts.go
+++ b/src/go/types/contracts.go
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ func (check *Checker) contractDecl(obj *Contract, cdecl *ast.ContractSpec) {
 
 	// collect constraints
 	for _, c := range cdecl.Constraints {
+		if c.Star.IsValid() {
+			check.errorf(c.Star, "pointer designation for type parameters not yet supported (* is ignored)")
+		}
 		if c.Param != nil {
 			// If a type name is present, it must be one of the contract's type parameters.
 			pos := c.Param.Pos()
diff --git a/src/go/types/testdata/tmp.go2 b/src/go/types/testdata/tmp.go2
index fdcef50337..3f2775edb0 100644
--- a/src/go/types/testdata/tmp.go2
+++ b/src/go/types/testdata/tmp.go2
@@ -4,6 +4,15 @@
 
 package p
 
+// TODO(gri) this should work
+contract C(T) {
+    T m()
+}
+
+func _(type T C)(x *T) {
+	x.m /* ERROR no field or method m */ ()
+}
+
 /*
 func f(type T)(T)
 
diff --git a/src/go/types/testdata/todos.go2 b/src/go/types/testdata/todos.go2
index 8739b0997b..8bad5efb2f 100644
--- a/src/go/types/testdata/todos.go2
+++ b/src/go/types/testdata/todos.go2
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
 
 package p
 
+// Pointer designation for type parameters is not yet supported.
+contract _C(T) {
+	* /* ERROR not yet supported */ T m()
+}
+
 // indexing on generic types containing type parameters in their type list
 // is not yet supported
 func _(type T interface { type T })(x T) {