diff --git a/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/preprocess.go b/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/preprocess.go
index 61096626f28..598cd1b63df 100644
--- a/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/preprocess.go
+++ b/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/preprocess.go
@@ -1738,7 +1738,12 @@ func Preprocess(store Store, ctx BlockNode, n Node) Node {
 			case *KeyValueExpr:
 				// NOTE: For simplicity we just
 				// use the *CompositeLitExpr.
-
+			// TRANS_LEAVE -----------------------
+			case *StarExpr:
+				xt := evalStaticTypeOf(store, last, n.X)
+				if xt.Kind() != PointerKind && xt.Kind() != TypeKind {
+					panic(fmt.Sprintf("invalid operation: cannot indirect %s (variable of type %s)", n.X.String(), xt.String()))
+				}
 			// TRANS_LEAVE -----------------------
 			case *SelectorExpr:
 				xt := evalStaticTypeOf(store, last, n.X)
diff --git a/gnovm/tests/files/ptr9.gno b/gnovm/tests/files/ptr9.gno
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6e104942d81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gnovm/tests/files/ptr9.gno
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package main
+
+func main() {
+	v := 1
+	println(*v)
+}
+
+// Error:
+// main/files/ptr9.gno:5:10: invalid operation: cannot indirect v<VPBlock(1,0)> (variable of type int)