diff --git a/include/parrot/api.h b/include/parrot/api.h
index 2b006ce56b..63b812a3d8 100644
--- a/include/parrot/api.h
+++ b/include/parrot/api.h
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ Parrot_confess(ARGIN(const char *cond), ARGIN(const char *file), unsigned int li
 
 #endif /* NDEBUG */
 
+/* Static assertions are checked at compile type */
+#define PARROT_STATIC_ASSERT_HELPER(COND,MSG) typedef char static_assertion_##MSG[(!!(COND))*2-1]
+#define PARROT_STATIC_ASSERT3(X,L)            PARROT_STATIC_ASSERT_HELPER(X,static_assertion_at_line_##L)
+#define PARROT_STATIC_ASSERT2(X,L)            PARROT_STATIC_ASSERT3(X,L)
+#define PARROT_STATIC_ASSERT(X)               PARROT_STATIC_ASSERT2(X,__LINE__)
 
 typedef struct _Parrot_Init_Args {
     void *stacktop;
diff --git a/src/global_setup.c b/src/global_setup.c
index 18f6afe59b..24b6fa3796 100644
--- a/src/global_setup.c
+++ b/src/global_setup.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ I<What are these global variables?>
 #include "parrot/parrot.h"
 #include "parrot/oplib/core_ops.h"
 #include "global_setup.str"
+#include "parrot/api.h"
 
 /* These functions are defined in the auto-generated file core_pmcs.c */
 /* XXX Get it into some public place */
@@ -179,6 +180,9 @@ init_world(PARROT_INTERP)
     ASSERT_ARGS(init_world)
     PMC *iglobals, *self, *pmc;
 
+    /* Check assumptions about our config */
+    PARROT_STATIC_ASSERT( sizeof(INTVAL) == sizeof(opcode_t) );
+
     Parrot_platform_init_code();
 
     /* Call base vtable class constructor methods */
@@ -248,7 +252,7 @@ Parrot_gbl_setup_2(PARROT_INTERP)
         interp->op_hash = interp->parent_interpreter->op_hash;
     }
     else {
-        op_lib_t  *core_ops = PARROT_CORE_OPLIB_INIT(interp, 1);
+        op_lib_t * const core_ops = PARROT_CORE_OPLIB_INIT(interp, 1);
         interp->op_hash     = Parrot_hash_create_sized(interp, enum_type_ptr,
                                     Hash_key_type_cstring, core_ops->op_count);
         parrot_hash_oplib(interp, core_ops);