diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/context.rs b/src/librustc/ty/context.rs
index 8ca02eaabe6..4056fb01aa2 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/context.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/context.rs
@@ -1266,6 +1266,14 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
         self.mk_tup(Vec::new())
     }
 
+    pub fn mk_diverging_default(self) -> Ty<'tcx> {
+        if self.sess.features.borrow().never_type {
+            self.types.never
+        } else {
+            self.mk_nil()
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn mk_bool(self) -> Ty<'tcx> {
         self.mk_ty(TyBool)
     }
diff --git a/src/librustc_typeck/check/mod.rs b/src/librustc_typeck/check/mod.rs
index 6ad7c5a8477..60935d47413 100644
--- a/src/librustc_typeck/check/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_typeck/check/mod.rs
@@ -1977,7 +1977,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> FnCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
             if self.type_var_diverges(resolved) {
                 debug!("default_type_parameters: defaulting `{:?}` to `!` because it diverges",
                        resolved);
-                self.demand_eqtype(syntax_pos::DUMMY_SP, *ty, self.tcx.types.never);
+                self.demand_eqtype(syntax_pos::DUMMY_SP, *ty, self.tcx.mk_diverging_default());
             } else {
                 match self.type_is_unconstrained_numeric(resolved) {
                     UnconstrainedInt => {
@@ -2051,7 +2051,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> FnCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
             for ty in &unsolved_variables {
                 let resolved = self.resolve_type_vars_if_possible(ty);
                 if self.type_var_diverges(resolved) {
-                    self.demand_eqtype(syntax_pos::DUMMY_SP, *ty, self.tcx.types.never);
+                    self.demand_eqtype(syntax_pos::DUMMY_SP, *ty, self.tcx.mk_diverging_default());
                 } else {
                     match self.type_is_unconstrained_numeric(resolved) {
                         UnconstrainedInt | UnconstrainedFloat => {
@@ -2109,7 +2109,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> FnCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
             let _ = self.commit_if_ok(|_: &infer::CombinedSnapshot| {
                 for ty in &unbound_tyvars {
                     if self.type_var_diverges(ty) {
-                        self.demand_eqtype(syntax_pos::DUMMY_SP, *ty, self.tcx.types.never);
+                        self.demand_eqtype(syntax_pos::DUMMY_SP, *ty, self.tcx.mk_diverging_default());
                     } else {
                         match self.type_is_unconstrained_numeric(ty) {
                             UnconstrainedInt => {
@@ -2205,7 +2205,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> FnCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
         // reporting for more then one conflict.
         for ty in &unbound_tyvars {
             if self.type_var_diverges(ty) {
-                self.demand_eqtype(syntax_pos::DUMMY_SP, *ty, self.tcx.types.never);
+                self.demand_eqtype(syntax_pos::DUMMY_SP, *ty, self.tcx.mk_diverging_default());
             } else {
                 match self.type_is_unconstrained_numeric(ty) {
                     UnconstrainedInt => {