diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index 62266f8..e4f47b1 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -937,8 +937,6 @@
 	    }
 	    if (*p == ':')
 	    {
-		garray_T    tmp_type_list;
-		garray_T    *type_list;
 		char_u	    *tp = skipwhite(p + 1);
 
 		if (tp == p + 1 && !quiet)
@@ -947,27 +945,19 @@
 		    return NULL;
 		}
 
-		if (SCRIPT_ID_VALID(current_sctx.sc_sid))
-		    type_list = &SCRIPT_ITEM(current_sctx.sc_sid)->sn_type_list;
-		else
+		if (!SCRIPT_ID_VALID(current_sctx.sc_sid))
 		{
-		    // TODO: should we give an error here?
-		    type_list = &tmp_type_list;
-		    ga_init2(type_list, sizeof(type_T), 10);
+		    semsg(_(e_using_type_not_in_script_context_str), p);
+		    return NULL;
 		}
 
 		// parse the type after the name
-		lp->ll_type = parse_type(&tp, type_list, !quiet);
+		lp->ll_type = parse_type(&tp,
+			       &SCRIPT_ITEM(current_sctx.sc_sid)->sn_type_list,
+			       !quiet);
 		if (lp->ll_type == NULL && !quiet)
 		    return NULL;
 		lp->ll_name_end = tp;
-
-		// drop the type when not in a script
-		if (type_list == &tmp_type_list)
-		{
-		    lp->ll_type = NULL;
-		    clear_type_list(type_list);
-		}
 	    }
 	}
     }