diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index c8ae36bc63..9d17194f2a 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -3643,6 +3643,9 @@ fn (mut c Checker) prefix_expr(mut node ast.PrefixExpr) ast.Type {
 	c.inside_ref_lit = old_inside_ref_lit
 	node.right_type = right_type
 	if node.op == .amp {
+		if node.right is ast.Nil {
+			c.error('invalid operation: cannot take address of nil', node.right.pos())
+		}
 		if mut node.right is ast.PrefixExpr {
 			if node.right.op == .amp {
 				c.error('unexpected `&`, expecting expression', node.right.pos)
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/invalid_nilref_err.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/invalid_nilref_err.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..392fd12906
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/invalid_nilref_err.out
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+vlib/v/checker/tests/invalid_nilref_err.vv:2:19: error: invalid operation: cannot take address of nil
+    1 | fn main() {
+    2 |     var := unsafe { &nil }
+      |                      ~~~
+    3 |     println(var)
+    4 | }
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/invalid_nilref_err.vv b/vlib/v/checker/tests/invalid_nilref_err.vv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..221ba04502
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/invalid_nilref_err.vv
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+fn main() {
+	var := unsafe { &nil }
+	println(var)
+}