diff --git a/src/kernel_internals/typing/cabs2cil.ml b/src/kernel_internals/typing/cabs2cil.ml
index c0aa7ec4d8c4dc503bfcacd4540d6b9f8817bb79..70b3ca2ccd9ce9264e28c12df185b5d771f69073 100644
--- a/src/kernel_internals/typing/cabs2cil.ml
+++ b/src/kernel_internals/typing/cabs2cil.ml
@@ -1085,6 +1085,12 @@ let lookupVar ghost name =
   | (EnvVar vi), loc -> vi, loc
   | _ -> raise Not_found
 
+let only_ghost_symbol name =
+  try ignore (lookupVar false name); false
+  with Not_found ->
+    try ignore (lookupVar true name); true
+    with Not_found -> false
+
 let lookupGlobalVar ghost name =
   let env = if ghost then ghost_global_env else global_env in
   match Datatype.String.Hashtbl.find env name with
@@ -5687,13 +5693,18 @@ and doExp local_env
           | _ -> raise Not_found
         with Not_found -> begin
             if isOldStyleVarArgName n then
-              Kernel.fatal ~current:true
+              Kernel.abort ~current:true
                 "Cannot resolve variable %s. \
-                 This could be a CIL bug due to the handling of old-style variable argument \
-                 functions"
+                 This could be a CIL bug due to \
+                 the handling of old-style variable argument functions"
                 n
+            else if only_ghost_symbol n then
+              Kernel.abort ~current:true
+                "Variable %s is a ghost symbol. \
+                 It cannot be used in non-ghost context. \
+                 Did you forget a /*@@ ghost ... /?" n
             else
-              Kernel.fatal ~current:true "Cannot resolve variable %s" n
+              Kernel.abort ~current:true "Cannot resolve variable %s" n
           end
       end
     | A.INDEX (e1, e2) -> begin
@@ -6487,6 +6498,10 @@ and doExp local_env
                new_exp ~loc:f.expr_loc (Lval(var vi)), vi.vtype)
             (* Found. Do not use finishExp. Simulate what = AExp None  *)
             with Not_found -> begin
+                if only_ghost_symbol n then
+                  Kernel.warning
+                    "calling ghost function %s in non-ghost code. Did you \
+                    forget a /*@ ghost ... */ ?" n;
                 Kernel.debug ~level:3
                   "Calling function %s without prototype." n ;
                 let ftype = TFun(intType, None, false,
diff --git a/tests/syntax/ghost_local_ill_formed.i b/tests/syntax/ghost_local_ill_formed.i
index 964f39e9080b1b48322ced91f4e64b08284ff3fb..d3d786b2880f1a69d94a0826f3379c43ea25f692 100644
--- a/tests/syntax/ghost_local_ill_formed.i
+++ b/tests/syntax/ghost_local_ill_formed.i
@@ -10,3 +10,9 @@ void titi() {
     /*@ assert \at(c,L1) == 1; */
   /*@ assert c == 2; */
 }
+
+void toto () {
+  //@ ghost int c = 0;
+  // ill-formed: the instruction should be ghost as well
+  c++;
+}
diff --git a/tests/syntax/oracle/ghost_local_ill_formed.res.oracle b/tests/syntax/oracle/ghost_local_ill_formed.res.oracle
index 7e293cd87e770fb0adfaf4233fed392b3654648e..f1017ea0fd6d2995e921f0f11b879852e02a5d53 100644
--- a/tests/syntax/oracle/ghost_local_ill_formed.res.oracle
+++ b/tests/syntax/oracle/ghost_local_ill_formed.res.oracle
@@ -2,5 +2,7 @@
 [kernel] tests/syntax/ghost_local_ill_formed.i:5: User Error: 
   redefinition of 'c' in the same scope.
   Previous declaration was at tests/syntax/ghost_local_ill_formed.i:2
+[kernel] tests/syntax/ghost_local_ill_formed.i:17: User Error: 
+  Variable c is a ghost symbol. It cannot be used in non-ghost context. Did you forget a /*@ ghost ... /?
 [kernel] User Error: stopping on file "tests/syntax/ghost_local_ill_formed.i" that has errors.
 [kernel] Frama-C aborted: invalid user input.