diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/noder.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/noder.go
index 63822d3089..d417edcbd5 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/noder.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/noder.go
@@ -1886,6 +1886,8 @@ func checkEmbed(decl *syntax.VarDecl, haveEmbed, withinFunc bool) error {
 		return errors.New("go:embed cannot apply to var without type")
 	case withinFunc:
 		return errors.New("go:embed cannot apply to var inside func")
+	case !types.AllowsGoVersion(types.LocalPkg, 1, 16):
+		return fmt.Errorf("go:embed requires go1.16 or later (-lang was set to %s; check go.mod)", base.Flag.Lang)
 
 	default:
 		return nil
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/staticdata/embed.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/staticdata/embed.go
index 8936c4f5b4..0730d346b2 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/staticdata/embed.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/staticdata/embed.go
@@ -108,13 +108,6 @@ func WriteEmbed(v *ir.Name) {
 	// TODO(mdempsky): User errors should be reported by the frontend.
 
 	commentPos := (*v.Embed)[0].Pos
-	if !types.AllowsGoVersion(types.LocalPkg, 1, 16) {
-		prevPos := base.Pos
-		base.Pos = commentPos
-		base.ErrorfVers("go1.16", "go:embed")
-		base.Pos = prevPos
-		return
-	}
 	if base.Flag.Cfg.Embed.Patterns == nil {
 		base.ErrorfAt(commentPos, "invalid go:embed: build system did not supply embed configuration")
 		return