diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/containers.v b/vlib/v/checker/containers.v
index 1d1c81ee63..6add51676e 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/containers.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/containers.v
@@ -104,8 +104,14 @@ fn (mut c Checker) array_init(mut node ast.ArrayInit) ast.Type {
 			c.warn('arrays of references need to be initialized right away, therefore `len:` cannot be used (unless inside `unsafe`)',
 				node.pos)
 		}
+
+		if node.elem_type.idx() == ast.array_type && !c.is_builtin_mod {
+			c.error('`array` is an internal type, it cannot be used directly. Use `[]int`, `[]Foo` etc',
+				node.pos)
+		}
 		return node.typ
 	}
+
 	if node.is_fixed {
 		c.ensure_sumtype_array_has_default_value(node)
 		c.ensure_type_exists(node.elem_type, node.elem_type_pos) or {}
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_decl_type_err.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_decl_type_err.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1ba7ff1d2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_decl_type_err.out
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+vlib/v/checker/tests/array_decl_type_err.vv:1:10: error: `array` is an internal type, it cannot be used directly. Use `[]int`, `[]Foo` etc
+    1 | mut a := []array{}
+      |          ~~~~~~~~
+    2 | a.insert(4, '1')
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_decl_type_err.vv b/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_decl_type_err.vv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..97827270a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_decl_type_err.vv
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+mut a := []array{}
+a.insert(4, '1')