diff --git a/compiler/msgidx.inc b/compiler/msgidx.inc
index 358f57564c..ba438e7200 100644
--- a/compiler/msgidx.inc
+++ b/compiler/msgidx.inc
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ type tmsgconst=(
   sym_e_forward_not_resolved,
   sym_f_id_already_typed,
   sym_e_error_in_type_def,
-  sym_e_type_id_not_defined,
+  sym_e_forward_type_not_resolved,
   sym_e_only_static_in_static,
   sym_e_invalid_call_tvarsymmangledname,
   sym_f_type_must_be_rec_or_class,
diff --git a/compiler/msgtxt.inc b/compiler/msgtxt.inc
index a17e1631af..2b679779e6 100644
--- a/compiler/msgtxt.inc
+++ b/compiler/msgtxt.inc
@@ -196,10 +196,10 @@ const msgtxt : array[0..00088,1..240] of char=(+
   'F_Internal Error in SymTableStack()'#000+
   'E_Duplicate identifier $1'#000+
   'E_Unknown identifier $1'#000+
-  'E_Forward declaration not solved: $1'#000+
+  'E_Forward declaration not solved $1'#000+
   'F_Identifier type already defined as type'#000+
-  'E_Error in type defeni','tion'#000+
-  'E_Type identifier not defined'#000+
+  'E_Error in type definit','ion'#000+
+  'E_Forward type not resolved $1'#000+
   'E_Only static variables can be used in static methods or outside metho'+
   'ds'#000+
   'E_Invalid call to tvarsym.mangledname()'#000+
diff --git a/compiler/pdecl.pas b/compiler/pdecl.pas
index 25974c7e4c..60c200344c 100644
--- a/compiler/pdecl.pas
+++ b/compiler/pdecl.pas
@@ -1462,31 +1462,38 @@ unit pdecl;
          record_dec:=new(precdef,init(symtable));
       end;
 
+
     { search in symtablestack used, but not defined type }
     procedure testforward_types(p : psym);{$ifndef FPC}far;{$endif}
-
       var
-         recsymtable : psymtable;
-
+        recsymtable : psymtable;
+        oldaktfilepos : tfileposinfo;
       begin
-         if (p^.typ=typesym) then
+         if not(p^.typ=typesym) then
+          exit;
          if ((p^.properties and sp_forwarddef)<>0) then
-           Message(sym_e_type_id_not_defined)
-         else if (ptypesym(p)^.definition^.deftype=recorddef) or
-           (ptypesym(p)^.definition^.deftype=objectdef) then
            begin
-              if (ptypesym(p)^.definition^.deftype=recorddef) then
-                recsymtable:=precdef(ptypesym(p)^.definition)^.symtable
-              else
-                recsymtable:=pobjectdef(ptypesym(p)^.definition)^.publicsyms;
-{$ifdef tp}
-              recsymtable^.foreach(testforward_types);
-{$else}
-              recsymtable^.foreach(@testforward_types);
-{$endif}
-            end;
+             oldaktfilepos:=aktfilepos;
+             aktfilepos:=p^.fileinfo;
+             Message1(sym_e_forward_type_not_resolved,p^.name);
+             aktfilepos:=oldaktfilepos;
+           end
+         else
+          if (ptypesym(p)^.definition^.deftype in [recorddef,objectdef]) then
+           begin
+             if (ptypesym(p)^.definition^.deftype=recorddef) then
+               recsymtable:=precdef(ptypesym(p)^.definition)^.symtable
+             else
+               recsymtable:=pobjectdef(ptypesym(p)^.definition)^.publicsyms;
+           {$ifdef tp}
+             recsymtable^.foreach(testforward_types);
+           {$else}
+             recsymtable^.foreach(@testforward_types);
+           {$endif}
+           end;
       end;
 
+
     { reads a type definition and returns a pointer to it }
     function read_type(const name : stringid) : pdef;
 
@@ -2041,7 +2048,10 @@ unit pdecl;
 end.
 {
   $Log$
-  Revision 1.61  1998-10-02 09:23:24  peter
+  Revision 1.62  1998-10-02 17:06:02  peter
+    * better error message for unresolved forward types
+
+  Revision 1.61  1998/10/02 09:23:24  peter
     * fixed error msg with type l=<var>
     * block_type bt_const is now set in read_const_dec