diff --git a/scipy/special/generate_ufuncs.py b/scipy/special/generate_ufuncs.py
index 5802da04877e..0d9aa108e4e3 100644
--- a/scipy/special/generate_ufuncs.py
+++ b/scipy/special/generate_ufuncs.py
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ def errprint(inflag=None):
 import textwrap
 import add_newdocs
 
-C_TYPES = {
+CY_TYPES = {
     'f': 'float',
     'd': 'double',
     'g': 'long double',
@@ -341,6 +341,18 @@ def errprint(inflag=None):
     'v': 'void',
 }
 
+C_TYPES = {
+    'f': 'np.npy_float',
+    'd': 'np.npy_double',
+    'g': 'np.npy_longdouble',
+    'F': 'np.npy_cfloat',
+    'D': 'np.npy_cdouble',
+    'G': 'np.npy_clongdouble',
+    'i': 'np.npy_int',
+    'l': 'np.npy_long',
+    'v': 'void',
+}
+
 TYPE_NAMES = {
     'f': 'np.NPY_FLOAT',
     'd': 'np.NPY_DOUBLE',
@@ -366,8 +378,8 @@ def generate_loop(func_inputs, func_outputs, func_retval,
     func_inputs, func_outputs, func_retval : str
         Signature of the function to call, given as type codes of the
         input, output and return value arguments. These 1-character
-        codes are given according to the C_TYPES and TYPE_NAMES lists
-        above.
+        codes are given according to the CY_TYPES and TYPE_NAMES
+        lists above.
 
         The corresponding C function signature to be called is:
 
@@ -415,19 +427,21 @@ def generate_loop(func_inputs, func_outputs, func_retval,
     fvars = []
     outtypecodes = []
     for j in range(len(func_inputs)):
-        ftypes.append(C_TYPES[func_inputs[j]])
-        fvars.append("<%s>(<%s*>ip%d)[0]" % (C_TYPES[func_inputs[j]], C_TYPES[ufunc_inputs[j]], j))
+        ftypes.append(CY_TYPES[func_inputs[j]])
+        fvars.append("<%s>(<%s*>ip%d)[0]" % (
+            CY_TYPES[func_inputs[j]],
+            CY_TYPES[ufunc_inputs[j]], j))
 
     if len(func_outputs)+1 == len(ufunc_outputs):
         func_joff = 1
         outtypecodes.append(func_retval)
-        body += "    cdef %s ov0\n" % (C_TYPES[func_retval],)
+        body += "    cdef %s ov0\n" % (CY_TYPES[func_retval],)
     else:
         func_joff = 0
 
     for j, outtype in enumerate(func_outputs):
-        body += "    cdef %s ov%d\n" % (C_TYPES[outtype], j+func_joff)
-        ftypes.append("%s *" % C_TYPES[outtype])
+        body += "    cdef %s ov%d\n" % (CY_TYPES[outtype], j+func_joff)
+        ftypes.append("%s *" % CY_TYPES[outtype])
         fvars.append("&ov%d" % (j+func_joff))
         outtypecodes.append(outtype)
 
@@ -438,11 +452,12 @@ def generate_loop(func_inputs, func_outputs, func_retval,
         rv = ""
 
     body += "        %s(<%s(*)(%s) nogil>func)(%s)\n" % (
-        rv, C_TYPES[func_retval], ", ".join(ftypes), ", ".join(fvars))
+        rv, CY_TYPES[func_retval],
+        ", ".join(ftypes), ", ".join(fvars))
 
     for j, (outtype, fouttype) in enumerate(zip(ufunc_outputs, outtypecodes)):
         body += "        (<%s *>op%d)[0] = <%s>ov%d\n" % (
-            C_TYPES[outtype], j, C_TYPES[outtype], j)
+            CY_TYPES[outtype], j, CY_TYPES[outtype], j)
     for j in range(len(ufunc_inputs)):
         body += "        ip%d += steps[%d]\n" % (j, j)
     for j in range(len(ufunc_outputs)):
@@ -551,6 +566,19 @@ def add_variant(func_name, inarg, outarg, ret, inp, outp):
                 add_variant(func_name, inarg, outarg, ret, inp2, outp2)
         return variants, inarg_num, outarg_num
 
+    def get_prototypes(self):
+        prototypes = []
+        for func_name, inarg, outarg, ret in self.signatures:
+            ret = ret.replace('*', '')
+            c_args = ([C_TYPES[x] for x in inarg]
+                      + [C_TYPES[x] + ' *' for x in outarg])
+            cy_args = ([CY_TYPES[x] for x in inarg]
+                       + [CY_TYPES[x] + ' *' for x in outarg])
+            c_proto = "%s (*)(%s)" % (C_TYPES[ret], ", ".join(c_args))
+            cy_proto = "%s (*)(%s)" % (CY_TYPES[ret], ", ".join(cy_args))
+            prototypes.append((func_name, c_proto, cy_proto))
+        return prototypes
+
     def generate(self, all_loops):
         toplevel = ""
 
@@ -589,7 +617,7 @@ def generate(self, all_loops):
                                                  inarg_num, outarg_num)
                      ).replace('@', self.name)
 
-        return toplevel, list(set(datas))
+        return toplevel
 
 def generate(filename, ufunc_str, extra_code):
     ufuncs = []
@@ -615,9 +643,10 @@ def generate(filename, ufunc_str, extra_code):
 
     ufuncs.sort(key=lambda u: u.name)
     for ufunc in ufuncs:
-        t, cfuncs = ufunc.generate(all_loops)
+        t = ufunc.generate(all_loops)
         toplevel += t + "\n"
 
+        cfuncs = ufunc.get_prototypes()
 
         hdrs = headers.get(ufunc.name, ['cephes.h'])
         if len(hdrs) == 1:
@@ -625,12 +654,22 @@ def generate(filename, ufunc_str, extra_code):
         elif len(hdrs) != len(cfuncs):
             raise ValueError("%s: wrong number of headers" % ufunc.name)
 
-        for cfunc, header in zip(cfuncs, hdrs):
+        for (c_name, c_proto, cy_proto), header in zip(cfuncs, hdrs):
             if header.endswith('.pxd'):
-                defs += "from %s cimport %s as _func_%s\n" % (header[:-4], cfunc, cfunc)
+                defs += "from %s cimport %s as _func_%s\n" % (header[:-4], c_name, c_name)
+
+                # check function signature at compile time
+                proto_name = '_proto_%s_t' % c_name
+                defs += "ctypedef %s\n" % (cy_proto.replace('(*)', proto_name))
+                defs += "cdef %s *%s_var\n" % (proto_name, proto_name)
+                defs += "%s_var = &_func_%s\n" % (proto_name, c_name)
             else:
+                # redeclare the function, so that the assumed
+                # signature is checked at compile time
                 defs += "cdef extern from \"%s\":\n" % header
-                defs += "    void _func_%s \"%s\"()\n" % (cfunc, cfunc)
+                defs += "    pass\n"
+                new_name = "_func_%s \"%s\"" % (c_name, c_name)
+                defs += "cdef extern %s\n" % (c_proto.replace('(*)', new_name))
 
     toplevel = "\n".join(all_loops.values() + [defs, toplevel])