diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index bc35568857..43f03dd88c 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -2300,10 +2300,8 @@ pub fn (mut c Checker) array_init(mut array_init ast.ArrayInit) table.Type {
 				c.expected_type = elem_type
 				continue
 			}
-			if !c.check_types(typ, elem_type) {
-				elem_type_sym := c.table.get_type_symbol(elem_type)
-				c.error('expected array element with type `$elem_type_sym.source_name`',
-					array_init.pos)
+			c.check_expected(typ, elem_type) or {
+				c.error('invalid array element: $err', expr.position())
 			}
 		}
 		if expecting_interface_array {
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_element_type.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_element_type.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..71a50e2253
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_element_type.out
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+vlib/v/checker/tests/array_element_type.vv:2:8: error: unknown type `abc`
+    1 | fn main() {
+    2 |     _ = []abc{}
+      |           ~~~
+    3 |     _ = [2, '']
+    4 | }
+vlib/v/checker/tests/array_element_type.vv:3:10: error: invalid array element: expected `int`, not `string`
+    1 | fn main() {
+    2 |     _ = []abc{}
+    3 |     _ = [2, '']
+      |             ~~
+    4 | }
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_element_type.vv b/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_element_type.vv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..95fd2757bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/array_element_type.vv
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+fn main() {
+	_ = []abc{}
+	_ = [2, '']
+}
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/unknown_array_element_type_a.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/unknown_array_element_type_a.out
deleted file mode 100644
index 41ea9981ae..0000000000
--- a/vlib/v/checker/tests/unknown_array_element_type_a.out
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-vlib/v/checker/tests/unknown_array_element_type_a.vv:2:9: error: unknown type `abc`
-    1 | fn main() {
-    2 |     a := []abc{}
-      |            ~~~
-    3 |     println(a)
-    4 | }
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/unknown_array_element_type_a.vv b/vlib/v/checker/tests/unknown_array_element_type_a.vv
deleted file mode 100644
index 96cd728e55..0000000000
--- a/vlib/v/checker/tests/unknown_array_element_type_a.vv
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-fn main() {
-	a := []abc{}
-	println(a)
-}