diff --git a/src/valid/function.rs b/src/valid/function.rs
index 60b4310524..0c68d8e04d 100644
--- a/src/valid/function.rs
+++ b/src/valid/function.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ pub enum CallError {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, thiserror::Error)]
 #[cfg_attr(test, derive(PartialEq))]
 pub enum LocalVariableError {
+    #[error("Local variable has a type {0:?} that can't be stored in a local variable.")]
+    InvalidType(Handle<crate::Type>),
     #[error("Initializer doesn't match the variable type")]
     InitializerType,
 }
@@ -517,6 +519,12 @@ impl super::Validator {
         constants: &Arena<crate::Constant>,
     ) -> Result<(), LocalVariableError> {
         log::debug!("var {:?}", var);
+        if !self.types[var.ty.index()]
+            .flags
+            .contains(TypeFlags::DATA | TypeFlags::SIZED)
+        {
+            return Err(LocalVariableError::InvalidType(var.ty));
+        }
         if let Some(const_handle) = var.init {
             match constants[const_handle].inner {
                 crate::ConstantInner::Scalar { width, ref value } => {
diff --git a/src/valid/type.rs b/src/valid/type.rs
index e9f888a63b..abcd268c11 100644
--- a/src/valid/type.rs
+++ b/src/valid/type.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ pub enum TypeError {
     InvalidWidth(crate::ScalarKind, crate::Bytes),
     #[error("The base handle {0:?} can not be resolved")]
     UnresolvedBase(Handle<crate::Type>),
+    #[error("Invalid type for pointer target {0:?}")]
+    InvalidPointerBase(Handle<crate::Type>),
     #[error("Expected data type, found {0:?}")]
     InvalidData(Handle<crate::Type>),
     #[error("Structure type {0:?} can not be a block structure")]
@@ -197,7 +199,23 @@ impl super::Validator {
                 if base >= handle {
                     return Err(TypeError::UnresolvedBase(base));
                 }
-                TypeInfo::new(TypeFlags::DATA | TypeFlags::SIZED, 0)
+
+                // Pointers to dynamically-sized arrays are needed, to serve as
+                // the type of an `AccessIndex` expression referring to a
+                // dynamically sized array appearing as the final member of a
+                // top-level `Struct`. But such pointers cannot be passed to
+                // functions, stored in varibles, etc. So, we mark them as not
+                // `DATA`.
+                let base_info = &self.types[base.index()];
+                let data_flag = if base_info.flags.contains(TypeFlags::SIZED) {
+                    TypeFlags::DATA
+                } else if let crate::TypeInner::Struct { .. } = types[base].inner {
+                    TypeFlags::DATA
+                } else {
+                    TypeFlags::empty()
+                };
+
+                TypeInfo::new(data_flag | TypeFlags::SIZED, 0)
             }
             Ti::ValuePointer {
                 size: _,
diff --git a/tests/wgsl-errors.rs b/tests/wgsl-errors.rs
index fb49a40564..c1acad6ab1 100644
--- a/tests/wgsl-errors.rs
+++ b/tests/wgsl-errors.rs
@@ -128,10 +128,14 @@ macro_rules! check_validation_error {
             let error = validation_error($source);
             if ! matches!(&error, $pattern if $guard) {
                 eprintln!("validation error does not match pattern:\n\
+                           source code: {}\n\
+                           \n\
+                           actual result:\n\
                            {:#?}\n\
                            \n\
                            expected match for pattern:\n\
                            {}{}",
+                          stringify!($source),
                           error,
                           stringify!($pattern),
                           $guard_string);
@@ -227,7 +231,12 @@ fn invalid_structs() {
 #[test]
 fn invalid_functions() {
     check_validation_error! {
-        "fn bogus(data: array<f32>) -> f32 { return data[0]; }":
+        "fn unacceptable_unsized(arg: array<f32>) { }",
+        "fn unacceptable_unsized(arg: ptr<storage, array<f32>>) { }",
+        "
+        struct Unsized { data: array<f32>; };
+        fn unacceptable_unsized(arg: Unsized) { }
+        ":
         Err(naga::valid::ValidationError::Function {
             name: function_name,
             error: naga::valid::FunctionError::InvalidArgumentType {
@@ -236,7 +245,16 @@ fn invalid_functions() {
             },
             ..
         })
-        if function_name == "bogus" && argument_name == "data"
+        if function_name == "unacceptable_unsized" && argument_name == "arg"
+    }
+
+    // A *valid* way to pass an unsized value.
+    check_validation_error! {
+        "
+        struct Unsized { data: array<f32>; };
+        fn acceptable_ptr_to_unsized(okay: ptr<storage, Unsized>) { }
+        ":
+        Ok(_)
     }
 }
 
@@ -357,3 +375,24 @@ fn valid_access() {
         Ok(_)
     }
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn invalid_local_vars() {
+    check_validation_error! {
+        "
+        struct Unsized { data: array<f32>; };
+        fn local_ptr_dynamic_array(okay: ptr<storage, Unsized>) {
+            var not_okay: ptr<storage, array<f32>> = okay.data;
+        }
+        ":
+        Err(naga::valid::ValidationError::Function {
+            error: naga::valid::FunctionError::LocalVariable {
+                name: local_var_name,
+                error: naga::valid::LocalVariableError::InvalidType(_),
+                ..
+            },
+            ..
+        })
+        if local_var_name == "not_okay"
+    }
+}