diff --git a/src/cc65/declare.c b/src/cc65/declare.c
index 543cca421..3367b04d7 100644
--- a/src/cc65/declare.c
+++ b/src/cc65/declare.c
@@ -1504,8 +1504,8 @@ static void ParseTypeSpec (DeclSpec* D, typespec_t TSFlags, int* SignednessSpeci
             /* FALL THROUGH */
 
         default:
-            if ((TSFlags & TS_MASK_DEFAULT_TYPE) != TS_DEFAULT_TYPE_INT) {
-                Error ("Type expected");
+            if ((TSFlags & TS_MASK_DEFAULT_TYPE) == TS_DEFAULT_TYPE_NONE) {
+                D->Flags |= DS_NO_TYPE;
                 D->Type[0].C = T_INT;
                 D->Type[1].C = T_END;
             } else {
@@ -1553,8 +1553,7 @@ static const Type* ParamTypeCvt (Type* T)
 static void ParseOldStyleParamList (FuncDesc* F)
 /* Parse an old-style (K&R) parameter list */
 {
-    /* Some fix point tokens that are used for error recovery */
-    static const token_t TokenList[] = { TOK_COMMA, TOK_RPAREN, TOK_SEMI };
+    unsigned PrevErrorCount = ErrorCount;
 
     /* Parse params */
     while (CurTok.Tok != TOK_RPAREN) {
@@ -1572,6 +1571,9 @@ static void ParseOldStyleParamList (FuncDesc* F)
             NextToken ();
 
         } else {
+            /* Some fix point tokens that are used for error recovery */
+            static const token_t TokenList[] = { TOK_COMMA, TOK_RPAREN, TOK_SEMI };
+
             /* Not a parameter name */
             Error ("Identifier expected for parameter name");
 
@@ -1608,6 +1610,12 @@ static void ParseOldStyleParamList (FuncDesc* F)
             Error ("Illegal storage class");
         }
 
+        /* Type must be specified */
+        if ((Spec.Flags & DS_NO_TYPE) != 0) {
+            Error ("Expected declaration specifiers");
+            break;
+        }
+
         /* Parse a comma separated variable list */
         while (1) {
 
@@ -1655,6 +1663,14 @@ static void ParseOldStyleParamList (FuncDesc* F)
         /* Variable list must be semicolon terminated */
         ConsumeSemi ();
     }
+
+    if (PrevErrorCount != ErrorCount) {
+        /* Some fix point tokens that are used for error recovery */
+        static const token_t TokenList[] = { TOK_COMMA, TOK_SEMI };
+
+        /* Try some smart error recovery */
+        SkipTokens (TokenList, sizeof(TokenList) / sizeof(TokenList[0]));
+    }
 }
 
 
@@ -1689,6 +1705,11 @@ static void ParseAnsiParamList (FuncDesc* F)
             Spec.StorageClass = SC_AUTO | SC_PARAM | SC_DEF;
         }
 
+        /* Type must be specified */
+        if ((Spec.Flags & DS_NO_TYPE) != 0) {
+            Error ("Type specifier missing");
+        }
+
         /* Warn about new local type declaration */
         if ((Spec.Flags & DS_NEW_TYPE_DECL) != 0) {
             Warning ("'%s' will be invisible out of this function",
diff --git a/src/cc65/declare.h b/src/cc65/declare.h
index ee9e1fc63..0facccba3 100644
--- a/src/cc65/declare.h
+++ b/src/cc65/declare.h
@@ -71,8 +71,9 @@ enum typespec_t {
 
 /* Masks for the Flags field in DeclSpec */
 #define DS_DEF_STORAGE          0x0001U /* Default storage class used   */
-#define DS_DEF_TYPE             0x0002U /* Default type used            */
-#define DS_EXTRA_TYPE           0x0004U /* Extra type declared          */
+#define DS_NO_TYPE              0x0002U /* No type explicitly specified */
+#define DS_DEF_TYPE             0x0006U /* Default type used            */
+#define DS_EXTRA_TYPE           0x0008U /* Extra type declared          */
 #define DS_NEW_TYPE_DECL        0x0010U /* New type declared            */
 #define DS_NEW_TYPE_DEF         0x0020U /* New type defined             */
 #define DS_NEW_TYPE             (DS_NEW_TYPE_DECL | DS_NEW_TYPE_DEF)