diff --git a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes.rs b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes.rs
index 789a1fc35a6..b0be1bf7e72 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes.rs
@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@
 E0770: include_str!("./error_codes/E0770.md"),
 E0771: include_str!("./error_codes/E0771.md"),
 E0773: include_str!("./error_codes/E0773.md"),
+E0774: include_str!("./error_codes/E0774.md"),
 ;
 //  E0006, // merged with E0005
 //  E0008, // cannot bind by-move into a pattern guard
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0774.md b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0774.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..79793ba9d7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0774.md
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+`derive` was applied on something which is not a struct, a union or an enum.
+
+Erroneous code example:
+
+```compile_fail,E0774
+trait Foo {
+    #[derive(Clone)] // error!
+    type Bar;
+}
+```
+
+As said above, the `derive` attribute is only allowed on structs, unions or
+enums:
+
+```
+#[derive(Clone)] // ok!
+struct Bar {
+    field: u32,
+}
+```
+
+You can find more information about `derive` in the [Rust Book].
+
+[Rust Book]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/appendix-03-derivable-traits.html
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_expand/src/expand.rs b/compiler/rustc_expand/src/expand.rs
index 105f81c6e0f..ca6f7324ca4 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_expand/src/expand.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_expand/src/expand.rs
@@ -529,9 +529,12 @@ pub fn fully_expand_fragment(&mut self, input_fragment: AstFragment) -> AstFragm
     fn error_derive_forbidden_on_non_adt(&self, derives: &[Path], item: &Annotatable) {
         let attr = self.cx.sess.find_by_name(item.attrs(), sym::derive);
         let span = attr.map_or(item.span(), |attr| attr.span);
-        let mut err = self
-            .cx
-            .struct_span_err(span, "`derive` may only be applied to structs, enums and unions");
+        let mut err = rustc_errors::struct_span_err!(
+            self.cx.sess,
+            span,
+            E0774,
+            "`derive` may only be applied to structs, enums and unions",
+        );
         if let Some(ast::Attribute { style: ast::AttrStyle::Inner, .. }) = attr {
             let trait_list = derives.iter().map(|t| pprust::path_to_string(t)).collect::<Vec<_>>();
             let suggestion = format!("#[derive({})]", trait_list.join(", "));