diff --git a/source/interpreter.c b/source/interpreter.c
index ace9ab7..06d4ad5 100644
--- a/source/interpreter.c
+++ b/source/interpreter.c
@@ -527,6 +527,14 @@ static Literal parseTypeToValue(Interpreter* interpreter, Literal type) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	//BUGFIX: make sure it actually is a type
+	if (!IS_TYPE(type)) {
+		interpreter->errorOutput("Bad type encountered: ");
+		printLiteralCustom(type, interpreter->errorOutput);
+		interpreter->errorOutput("\n");
+		//TODO: would be better to return an int here...
+	}
+
 	return type;
 }
 
diff --git a/source/scope.c b/source/scope.c
index 745c1e2..eefb266 100644
--- a/source/scope.c
+++ b/source/scope.c
@@ -239,6 +239,10 @@ bool declareScopeVariable(Scope* scope, Literal key, Literal type) {
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	if (!IS_TYPE(type)) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	//store the type, for later checking on assignment
 	setLiteralDictionary(&scope->types, key, type);