diff --git a/source/compiler/sc1.c b/source/compiler/sc1.c
index b1ad703..df51854 100644
--- a/source/compiler/sc1.c
+++ b/source/compiler/sc1.c
@@ -3917,6 +3917,8 @@ static int declargs(symbol *sym,int chkshadow)
       case '&':
         if (ident!=iVARIABLE || numtags>0)
           error(1,"-identifier-","&");
+        if (fconst)
+          error(238, "const reference"); /* meaningless combination of class specifiers */
         ident=iREFERENCE;
         break;
       case tCONST:
@@ -3991,6 +3993,8 @@ static int declargs(symbol *sym,int chkshadow)
       case tELLIPS:
         if (ident!=iVARIABLE)
           error(10);                    /* illegal function or declaration */
+        if (fconst)
+          error(238, "const variable arguments"); /* meaningless combination of class specifiers */
         if (numtags==0)
           tags[numtags++]=0;            /* default tag */
         if ((sym->usage & uPROTOTYPED)==0) {
diff --git a/source/compiler/sc5.c b/source/compiler/sc5.c
index c6af5a7..3f91485 100644
--- a/source/compiler/sc5.c
+++ b/source/compiler/sc5.c
@@ -191,7 +191,8 @@ static char *warnmsg[] = {
 /*234*/  "function is deprecated (symbol \"%s\") %s\n",
 /*235*/  "public function lacks forward declaration (symbol \"%s\")\n",
 /*236*/  "unknown parameter in substitution (incorrect #define pattern)\n",
-/*237*/  "user warning: %s\n"
+/*237*/  "user warning: %s\n",
+/*238*/  "meaningless combination of class specifiers (%s)\n"
 };
 
 #define NUM_WARNINGS    (sizeof warnmsg / sizeof warnmsg[0])
diff --git a/source/compiler/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/source/compiler/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 9b3d52c..55ce454 100644
--- a/source/compiler/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/source/compiler/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ set_tests_properties(gh_283 PROPERTIES PASS_REGULAR_EXPRESSION "\
 add_compiler_test(too_many_args_crash_gh_298 ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/too_many_args_crash_gh_298.pwn)
 set_tests_properties(too_many_args_crash_gh_298 PROPERTIES PASS_REGULAR_EXPRESSION "too many function arguments")
 
+add_compiler_test(meaningless_class_specifiers_gh_172 ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/meaningless_class_specifiers_gh_172.pwn)
+set_tests_properties(meaningless_class_specifiers_gh_172 PROPERTIES PASS_REGULAR_EXPRESSION "\
+.*\\.pwn\\(1\\) : warning 238: meaningless combination of class specifiers \\(const reference\\)\
+.*\\.pwn\\(1 \\-\\- 2\\) : warning 238: meaningless combination of class specifiers \\(const variable arguments\\)\
+")
+
 # Crashers
 #
 # These tests simply check that the compiler doesn't crash.
diff --git a/source/compiler/tests/meaningless_class_specifiers_gh_172.pwn b/source/compiler/tests/meaningless_class_specifiers_gh_172.pwn
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..68bfd02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/compiler/tests/meaningless_class_specifiers_gh_172.pwn
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+f1(const &v) { }
+f2(const ...) { }
+f3(const v) {
+	#pragma unused v
+}
+f4(...) { }
+f5(v) {
+	#pragma unused v
+}
+f6(&v) { }
+
+main() {
+	new a;
+	f1(a);
+	f2(a);
+	f3(a);
+	f4(a);
+	f5(a);
+	f6(a);
+}
\ No newline at end of file