diff --git a/src/ast.scm b/src/ast.scm
index a20f8f87f955c..15e55fc616041 100644
--- a/src/ast.scm
+++ b/src/ast.scm
@@ -493,6 +493,7 @@
 (define (vinfo:never-undef v) (< 0 (logand (caddr v) 4)))
 (define (vinfo:read v) (< 0 (logand (caddr v) 8)))
 (define (vinfo:sa v) (< 0 (logand (caddr v) 16)))
+(define (vinfo:nospecialize v) (< 0 (logand (caddr v) 128)))
 (define (set-bit x b val) (if val (logior x b) (logand x (lognot b))))
 ;; record whether var is captured
 (define (vinfo:set-capt! v c)  (set-car! (cddr v) (set-bit (caddr v) 1 c)))
@@ -507,6 +508,7 @@
 ;; occurs undef: mask 32
 ;; whether var is called (occurs in function call head position)
 (define (vinfo:set-called! v a)  (set-car! (cddr v) (set-bit (caddr v) 64 a)))
+(define (vinfo:set-nospecialize! v c)  (set-car! (cddr v) (set-bit (caddr v) 128 c)))
 
 (define var-info-for assq)
 
diff --git a/src/julia-syntax.scm b/src/julia-syntax.scm
index 8f0bcd55ac194..cf2c964cf2374 100644
--- a/src/julia-syntax.scm
+++ b/src/julia-syntax.scm
@@ -3492,10 +3492,15 @@
 (define (analyze-vars e env captvars sp tab)
   (if (or (atom? e) (quoted? e))
       (begin
-        (if (symbol? e)
-            (let ((vi (get tab e #f)))
-              (if vi
-                  (vinfo:set-read! vi #t))))
+        (cond
+         ((symbol? e)
+          (let ((vi (get tab e #f)))
+            (if vi
+                (vinfo:set-read! vi #t))))
+         ((nospecialize-meta? e)
+          (let ((vi (get tab (caddr e) #f)))
+            (if vi
+                (vinfo:set-nospecialize! vi #t)))))
         e)
       (case (car e)
         ((local-def) ;; a local that we know has an assignment that dominates all usages
@@ -3594,21 +3599,6 @@ f(x) = yt(x)
                 (call (core _typebody!) (false) ,s (call (core svec) ,@types))
                 (return (null)))))))))
 
-(define (type-for-closure name fields super)
-  (let ((s (make-ssavalue)))
-    `((thunk ,(linearize `(lambda ()
-       (() () 0 ())
-       (block (global ,name)
-              (= ,s (call (core _structtype) (thismodule) (inert ,name) (call (core svec))
-                          (call (core svec) ,@(map quotify fields))
-                          (call (core svec))
-                          (false) ,(length fields)))
-              (call (core _setsuper!) ,s ,super)
-              (const (globalref (thismodule) ,name) ,s)
-              (call (core _typebody!) (false) ,s
-                    (call (core svec) ,@(map (lambda (v) '(core Box)) fields)))
-              (return (null)))))))))
-
 ;; better versions of above, but they get handled wrong in many places
 ;; need to fix that in order to handle #265 fully (and use the definitions)
 
@@ -4022,6 +4012,10 @@ f(x) = yt(x)
       (let ((cv (assq v (cadr (lam:vinfo lam)))))
         (and cv (vinfo:asgn cv) (vinfo:capt cv)))))
 
+(define (is-var-nospecialize? v lam)
+  (let ((vi (assq v (car (lam:vinfo lam)))))
+    (and vi (vinfo:nospecialize vi))))
+
 (define (toplevel-preserving? e)
   (and (pair? e) (memq (car e) '(if elseif block trycatch tryfinally trycatchelse))))
 
@@ -4313,16 +4307,14 @@ f(x) = yt(x)
                         (closure-param-syms (map (lambda (s) (make-ssavalue)) closure-param-names))
                         (typedef  ;; expression to define the type
                          (let* ((fieldtypes (map (lambda (v)
-                                                   (if (is-var-boxed? v lam)
-                                                       '(core Box)
-                                                       (make-ssavalue)))
+                                                   (cond ((is-var-boxed? v lam) '(core Box))
+                                                         ((is-var-nospecialize? v lam) (vinfo:type (assq v (car (lam:vinfo lam)))))
+                                                         (else (make-ssavalue))))
                                                  capt-vars))
                                 (para (append closure-param-syms
                                               (filter ssavalue? fieldtypes)))
                                 (fieldnames (append closure-param-names (filter (lambda (v) (not (is-var-boxed? v lam))) capt-vars))))
-                           (if (null? para)
-                               (type-for-closure type-name capt-vars '(core Function))
-                               (type-for-closure-parameterized type-name para fieldnames capt-vars fieldtypes '(core Function)))))
+                           (type-for-closure-parameterized type-name para fieldnames capt-vars fieldtypes '(core Function))))
                         (mk-method ;; expression to make the method
                          (if short '()
                              (let* ((iskw ;; TODO jb/functions need more robust version of this
@@ -4352,7 +4344,7 @@ f(x) = yt(x)
                                 (P (append
                                     closure-param-names
                                     (filter identity (map (lambda (v ve)
-                                                            (if (is-var-boxed? v lam)
+                                                            (if (or (is-var-boxed? v lam) (is-var-nospecialize? v lam))
                                                                 #f
                                                                 `(call (core _typeof_captured_variable) ,ve)))
                                                           capt-vars var-exprs)))))
diff --git a/test/syntax.jl b/test/syntax.jl
index 4116bdef23a52..0c56b6b74b167 100644
--- a/test/syntax.jl
+++ b/test/syntax.jl
@@ -4330,3 +4330,12 @@ let ex = @Meta.lower function return_my_method(); 1; end
     code[end] = Core.ReturnNode(Core.SSAValue(idx))
     @test isa(Core.eval(@__MODULE__, ex), Method)
 end
+
+# Capturing a @nospecialize argument should result in an Any field in the closure
+module NoSpecClosure
+    K(@nospecialize(x)) = y -> x
+end
+let f = NoSpecClosure.K(1)
+    @test f(2) == 1
+    @test typeof(f).parameters == Core.svec()
+end