diff --git a/src/misc.rs b/src/misc.rs
index 1fc41cf4862..82ea78d97e1 100644
--- a/src/misc.rs
+++ b/src/misc.rs
@@ -81,7 +81,11 @@ impl LintPass for TopLevelRefPass {
         lint_array!(TOPLEVEL_REF_ARG)
     }
 
-    fn check_fn(&mut self, cx: &Context, _: FnKind, decl: &FnDecl, _: &Block, _: Span, _: NodeId) {
+    fn check_fn(&mut self, cx: &Context, k: FnKind, decl: &FnDecl, _: &Block, _: Span, _: NodeId) {
+        if let FnKind::FkFnBlock = k {
+            // Does not apply to closures
+            return
+        }
         for ref arg in &decl.inputs {
             if let PatIdent(BindByRef(_), _, _) = arg.pat.node {
                 span_lint(cx,
diff --git a/tests/compile-fail/toplevel_ref_arg.rs b/tests/compile-fail/toplevel_ref_arg.rs
index cd4d46ee327..ea69a8cfa15 100644
--- a/tests/compile-fail/toplevel_ref_arg.rs
+++ b/tests/compile-fail/toplevel_ref_arg.rs
@@ -11,5 +11,8 @@ fn the_answer(ref mut x: u8) {  //~ ERROR `ref` directly on a function argument
 fn main() {
   let mut x = 0;
   the_answer(x);
+  // Closures should not warn
+  let y = |ref x| { println!("{:?}", x) };
+  y(1u8);
   println!("The answer is {}.", x);
 }