diff --git a/gcc/cp/ChangeLog b/gcc/cp/ChangeLog
index fb5a81e66e4..8bdc1629445 100644
--- a/gcc/cp/ChangeLog
+++ b/gcc/cp/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+1998-10-21  Jason Merrill  <jason@yorick.cygnus.com>
+
+	* typeck.c (build_component_ref): Use of a type here is an error.
+
 1998-10-19  Jason Merrill  <jason@yorick.cygnus.com>
 
 	Revamp references to member functions.
diff --git a/gcc/cp/typeck.c b/gcc/cp/typeck.c
index 5cd21f15090..7a748190389 100644
--- a/gcc/cp/typeck.c
+++ b/gcc/cp/typeck.c
@@ -2053,8 +2053,8 @@ build_component_ref (datum, component, basetype_path, protect)
     field = component;
   else if (TREE_CODE (component) == TYPE_DECL)
     {
-      cp_pedwarn ("invalid use of type decl `%#D' as expression", component);
-      return component;
+      cp_error ("invalid use of type decl `%#D' as expression", component);
+      return error_mark_node;
     }
   else
     {