diff --git a/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/messages.ftl b/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/messages.ftl
index 3669100ed91..6001816ffbe 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/messages.ftl
+++ b/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/messages.ftl
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ hir_typeck_field_multiply_specified_in_initializer =
     .label = used more than once
     .previous_use_label = first use of `{$ident}`
 
+hir_typeck_fn_item_to_variadic_function = can't pass a function item to a variadic function
+    .suggestion = use a function pointer instead
+    .help = a function item is zero-sized and needs to be cast into a function pointer to be used in FFI
+    .note = for more information on function items, visit https://doc.rust-lang.org/reference/types/function-item.html
+
 hir_typeck_fru_expr = this expression does not end in a comma...
 hir_typeck_fru_expr2 = ... so this is interpreted as a `..` range expression, instead of functional record update syntax
 hir_typeck_fru_note = this expression may have been misinterpreted as a `..` range expression
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/src/errors.rs b/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/src/errors.rs
index 4f579b05d83..936f80c75fa 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/src/errors.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/src/errors.rs
@@ -797,3 +797,13 @@ pub(crate) struct PassToVariadicFunction<'a, 'tcx> {
     #[note(hir_typeck_teach_help)]
     pub(crate) teach: bool,
 }
+
+#[derive(Diagnostic)]
+#[diag(hir_typeck_fn_item_to_variadic_function, code = E0617)]
+pub(crate) struct PassFnItemToVariadicFunction {
+    #[primary_span]
+    pub span: Span,
+    #[suggestion(code = " as {replace}", applicability = "machine-applicable", style = "verbose")]
+    pub sugg_span: Span,
+    pub replace: String,
+}
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/src/fn_ctxt/checks.rs b/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/src/fn_ctxt/checks.rs
index f8f6564cf14..63777f82f1a 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/src/fn_ctxt/checks.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_hir_typeck/src/fn_ctxt/checks.rs
@@ -472,9 +472,15 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> FnCtxt<'a, 'tcx> {
                         variadic_error(tcx.sess, arg.span, arg_ty, "c_uint");
                     }
                     ty::FnDef(..) => {
-                        let ptr_ty = Ty::new_fn_ptr(self.tcx, arg_ty.fn_sig(self.tcx));
-                        let ptr_ty = self.resolve_vars_if_possible(ptr_ty);
-                        variadic_error(tcx.sess, arg.span, arg_ty, &ptr_ty.to_string());
+                        let fn_ptr = Ty::new_fn_ptr(self.tcx, arg_ty.fn_sig(self.tcx));
+                        let fn_ptr = self.resolve_vars_if_possible(fn_ptr).to_string();
+
+                        let fn_item_spa = arg.span;
+                        tcx.sess.dcx().emit_err(errors::PassFnItemToVariadicFunction {
+                            span: fn_item_spa,
+                            sugg_span: fn_item_spa.shrink_to_hi(),
+                            replace: fn_ptr,
+                        });
                     }
                     _ => {}
                 }