diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/noder.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/noder.go
index 15b1bf7b9f..d0d95451ac 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/noder.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/noder.go
@@ -132,7 +132,9 @@ func (p *noder) processPragmas() {
 		}
 		n := ir.AsNode(typecheck.Lookup(l.local).Def)
 		if n == nil || n.Op() != ir.ONAME {
-			p.errorAt(l.pos, "//go:linkname must refer to declared function or variable")
+			if types.AllowsGoVersion(1, 18) {
+				p.errorAt(l.pos, "//go:linkname must refer to declared function or variable")
+			}
 			continue
 		}
 		if n.Sym().Linkname != "" {
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/writer.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/writer.go
index 9f43293527..262e2020c8 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/writer.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/noder/writer.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"cmd/compile/internal/base"
 	"cmd/compile/internal/ir"
 	"cmd/compile/internal/syntax"
+	"cmd/compile/internal/types"
 	"cmd/compile/internal/types2"
 )
 
@@ -2437,7 +2438,9 @@ func (pw *pkgWriter) collectDecls(noders []*noder) {
 				}
 
 			default:
-				pw.errorf(l.pos, "//go:linkname must refer to declared function or variable")
+				if types.AllowsGoVersion(1, 18) {
+					pw.errorf(l.pos, "//go:linkname must refer to declared function or variable")
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/issue55889.go b/test/fixedbugs/issue55889.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..68812c2157
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue55889.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// errorcheck -0 -lang=go1.17
+
+// Copyright 2022 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+// Prior to Go 1.18, ineffectual //go:linkname directives were treated
+// as noops. Ensure that modules that contain these directives (e.g.,
+// x/sys prior to go.dev/cl/274573) continue to compile.
+
+package p
+
+import _ "unsafe"
+
+//go:linkname nonexistent nonexistent
+
+//go:linkname constant constant
+const constant = 42
+
+//go:linkname typename typename
+type typename int