diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/align.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/align.go
index 285d31dc6c6ee..dc2d04a8ed862 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/align.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/align.go
@@ -291,6 +291,7 @@ func dowidth(t *types.Type) {
 
 	case TFORW: // should have been filled in
 		if !t.Broke() {
+			t.SetBroke(true)
 			yyerror("invalid recursive type %v", t)
 		}
 		w = 1 // anything will do
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go
index 553b7907cabcd..6f633a494fbf6 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go
@@ -513,6 +513,8 @@ func Main(archInit func(*Arch)) {
 			fcount++
 		}
 	}
+	// With all types ckecked, it's now safe to verify map keys.
+	checkMapKeys()
 	timings.AddEvent(fcount, "funcs")
 
 	// Phase 4: Decide how to capture closed variables.
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/typecheck.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/typecheck.go
index 11da26f3bdd20..67bb00b8b6d79 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/typecheck.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/typecheck.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ package gc
 import (
 	"cmd/compile/internal/types"
 	"cmd/internal/objabi"
-	"cmd/internal/src"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"strings"
@@ -420,18 +419,7 @@ func typecheck1(n *Node, top int) *Node {
 		}
 		n.Op = OTYPE
 		n.Type = types.NewMap(l.Type, r.Type)
-
-		// map key validation
-		alg, bad := algtype1(l.Type)
-		if alg == ANOEQ {
-			if bad.Etype == TFORW {
-				// queue check for map until all the types are done settling.
-				mapqueue = append(mapqueue, mapqueueval{l, n.Pos})
-			} else if bad.Etype != TANY {
-				// no need to queue, key is already bad
-				yyerror("invalid map key type %v", l.Type)
-			}
-		}
+		mapqueue = append(mapqueue, n) // check map keys when all types are settled
 		n.Left = nil
 		n.Right = nil
 
@@ -3496,16 +3484,18 @@ func stringtoarraylit(n *Node) *Node {
 	return nn
 }
 
-var ntypecheckdeftype int
+var mapqueue []*Node
 
-type mapqueueval struct {
-	n   *Node
-	lno src.XPos
+func checkMapKeys() {
+	for _, n := range mapqueue {
+		k := n.Type.MapType().Key
+		if !k.Broke() && !IsComparable(k) {
+			yyerrorl(n.Pos, "invalid map key type %v", k)
+		}
+	}
+	mapqueue = nil
 }
 
-// tracks the line numbers at which forward types are first used as map keys
-var mapqueue []mapqueueval
-
 func copytype(n *Node, t *types.Type) {
 	if t.Etype == TFORW {
 		// This type isn't computed yet; when it is, update n.
@@ -3565,7 +3555,6 @@ func copytype(n *Node, t *types.Type) {
 }
 
 func typecheckdeftype(n *Node) {
-	ntypecheckdeftype++
 	lno := lineno
 	setlineno(n)
 	n.Type.Sym = n.Sym
@@ -3584,22 +3573,6 @@ func typecheckdeftype(n *Node) {
 	}
 
 	lineno = lno
-
-	// if there are no type definitions going on, it's safe to
-	// try to validate the map key types for the interfaces
-	// we just read.
-	if ntypecheckdeftype == 1 {
-		for _, e := range mapqueue {
-			lineno = e.lno
-			if !IsComparable(e.n.Type) {
-				yyerror("invalid map key type %v", e.n.Type)
-			}
-		}
-		mapqueue = nil
-		lineno = lno
-	}
-
-	ntypecheckdeftype--
 }
 
 func typecheckdef(n *Node) {
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/issue21273.go b/test/fixedbugs/issue21273.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..7a790d14b5dee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue21273.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+// errorcheck
+
+// Copyright 2017 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package main
+
+type T0 T0 // ERROR "invalid recursive type"
+type _ map[T0]int
+
+type T1 struct{ T1 } // ERROR "invalid recursive type"
+type _ map[T1]int
+
+func f() {
+	type T2 T2 // ERROR "invalid recursive type"
+	type _ map[T2]int
+}
+
+func g() {
+	type T3 struct{ T3 } // ERROR "invalid recursive type"
+	type _ map[T3]int
+}
+
+func h() {
+	type T4 struct{ m map[T4]int } // ERROR "invalid map key"
+	type _ map[T4]int              // ERROR "invalid map key"
+}