diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/astprocessing/AstChecker.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/astprocessing/AstChecker.kt
index a64fafd51..00864ad81 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/astprocessing/AstChecker.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/astprocessing/AstChecker.kt
@@ -844,6 +844,11 @@ internal class AstChecker(private val program: Program,
         if(compilerOptions.zeropage==ZeropageType.DONTUSE && decl.zeropage == ZeropageWish.REQUIRE_ZEROPAGE)
             err("zeropage usage has been disabled by options")
 
+        if(decl.splitArray) {
+            if (decl.datatype !in arrayOf(DataType.ARRAY_W, DataType.ARRAY_UW, DataType.ARRAY_W_SPLIT, DataType.ARRAY_UW_SPLIT)) {
+                errors.err("split can only be used on word arrays", decl.position)
+            }
+        }
         super.visit(decl)
     }
 
diff --git a/compilerAst/src/prog8/ast/antlr/Antlr2Kotlin.kt b/compilerAst/src/prog8/ast/antlr/Antlr2Kotlin.kt
index 6a6fad4b9..4c1da62cc 100644
--- a/compilerAst/src/prog8/ast/antlr/Antlr2Kotlin.kt
+++ b/compilerAst/src/prog8/ast/antlr/Antlr2Kotlin.kt
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ private fun VardeclContext.toAst(type: VarDeclType, value: Expression?): VarDecl
             when(arrayDt) {
                 DataType.ARRAY_UW -> DataType.ARRAY_UW_SPLIT
                 DataType.ARRAY_W -> DataType.ARRAY_W_SPLIT
-                else -> throw SyntaxError("split can only be used on word arrays", toPosition())
+                else -> arrayDt   // type error will be generated later in the ast check
             }
         } else arrayDt
     } else origDt
diff --git a/compilerAst/src/prog8/ast/statements/AstStatements.kt b/compilerAst/src/prog8/ast/statements/AstStatements.kt
index bc24696e6..67a0cd84f 100644
--- a/compilerAst/src/prog8/ast/statements/AstStatements.kt
+++ b/compilerAst/src/prog8/ast/statements/AstStatements.kt
@@ -231,11 +231,6 @@ class VarDecl(val type: VarDeclType,
     override lateinit var parent: Node
     var allowInitializeWithZero = true
 
-    init {
-        if(splitArray)
-            require(datatype in ArrayDatatypes) { "array dt mismatch" }
-    }
-
     companion object {
         private var autoHeapValueSequenceNumber = 0
 
diff --git a/examples/test.p8 b/examples/test.p8
index ba4cd7983..2b320ed56 100644
--- a/examples/test.p8
+++ b/examples/test.p8
@@ -2,8 +2,14 @@
 
 main {
     sub start() {
-        repeat cx16.r0 {
-            cx16.r1L++
-        }
+        bool @split bb
+        ubyte @split bt
+        byte[200] @split ba
+        float @split fl
+        float[10] @split fla
+
+        bb=true
+        bt++
+        fl++
     }
 }