diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/def.c b/tools/qfcc/source/def.c
index 82e88c5ae..c0332be60 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/def.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/def.c
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ initialize_def (symbol_t *sym, expr_t *init, defspace_t *space,
 				internal_error (0, "half defined var");
 			if (storage == sc_extern) {
 				if (init)
-					warning (0, "initializing external variable");
+					error (0, "initializing external variable");
 				return;
 			}
 			if (init && check->s.def->initialized) {
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ initialize_def (symbol_t *sym, expr_t *init, defspace_t *space,
 		init_field_def (sym->s.def, init, storage);
 	if (storage == sc_extern) {
 		if (init)
-			warning (0, "initializing external variable");
+			error (0, "initializing external variable");
 		return;
 	}
 	if (!init)
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y b/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
index 7ae13bd6e..3fac0f926 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/qc-parse.y
@@ -1021,6 +1021,9 @@ overloaded_identifier
 non_code_func
 	: '=' '#' expr
 		{
+			if ($<spec>-1.storage == sc_extern) {
+				error (0, "initializing external variable");
+			}
 			build_builtin_function ($<symbol>0, $3, 0);
 		}
 	| '=' expr