diff --git a/lang/m2/comp/def.c b/lang/m2/comp/def.c
index 516b6fdb..be972ca4 100644
--- a/lang/m2/comp/def.c
+++ b/lang/m2/comp/def.c
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ MkDef(id, scope, kind)
 	df->df_kind = kind;
 	df->df_next = id->id_def;
 	id->id_def = df;
+	if (kind == D_ERROR) df->df_type = error_type;
 
 	/* enter the definition in the list of definitions in this scope
 	*/
diff --git a/lang/m2/comp/defmodule.c b/lang/m2/comp/defmodule.c
index 5df8e443..adb5e81f 100644
--- a/lang/m2/comp/defmodule.c
+++ b/lang/m2/comp/defmodule.c
@@ -145,7 +145,6 @@ GetDefinitionModule(id, incr)
 		}
 		if (! df) {
 			df = MkDef(id, GlobalScope, D_ERROR);
-			df->df_type = error_type;
 			df->mod_vis = vis;
 			newsc->sc_definedby = df;
 		}
diff --git a/lang/m2/comp/lookup.c b/lang/m2/comp/lookup.c
index 1c589ec1..0eb38a46 100644
--- a/lang/m2/comp/lookup.c
+++ b/lang/m2/comp/lookup.c
@@ -83,6 +83,5 @@ lookfor(id, vis, give_error)
 	if (give_error) id_not_declared(id);
 
 	df = MkDef(id->nd_IDF, vis->sc_scope, D_ERROR);
-	df->df_type = error_type;
 	return df;
 }