diff --git a/example.ed b/example.ed
index 75b4d0b5c..17ea20b34 100644
--- a/example.ed
+++ b/example.ed
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-let x = 2;
 fn add(a: i64, b: i64) -> i64 {
     return a + b;
 }
diff --git a/src/check.rs b/src/check.rs
index 226aaeba6..1a7226f0f 100644
--- a/src/check.rs
+++ b/src/check.rs
@@ -50,8 +50,68 @@ pub fn check<'a>(data: &'a ProgramData, ast: &ast::Program) -> Vec<Check<'a>> {
                 let dl = DisplayList::from(snippet);
                 errors.push(Check::Error(dl));
             }
-            Statement::Definition(_) => todo!(),
-            Statement::Return(_) => unreachable!(),
+            Statement::Definition(_) => {
+                 // can't have a top level assignment yet.
+                 let snippet = Snippet {
+                    title: Some(Annotation {
+                        id: None,
+                        label: Some("unexpected definition at top level"),
+                        annotation_type: AnnotationType::Error,
+                    }),
+                    footer: vec![],
+                    slices: vec![Slice {
+                        source: &data.source,
+                        line_start: 1,
+                        fold: true,
+                        origin: Some(&data.filename),
+                        annotations: vec![
+                            SourceAnnotation {
+                                label: "unexpected statement",
+                                annotation_type: AnnotationType::Error,
+                                range: statement.span.into(),
+                            },
+                        ],
+                    }],
+                    opt: FormatOptions {
+                        color: true,
+                        ..Default::default()
+                    },
+                };
+
+                let dl = DisplayList::from(snippet);
+                errors.push(Check::Error(dl));
+            },
+            Statement::Return(_x) => {
+                // can't have a top level assignment yet.
+                let snippet = Snippet {
+                    title: Some(Annotation {
+                        id: None,
+                        label: Some("unexpected return"),
+                        annotation_type: AnnotationType::Error,
+                    }),
+                    footer: vec![],
+                    slices: vec![Slice {
+                        source: &data.source,
+                        line_start: 1,
+                        fold: true,
+                        origin: Some(&data.filename),
+                        annotations: vec![
+                            SourceAnnotation {
+                                label: "unexpected return",
+                                annotation_type: AnnotationType::Error,
+                                range: statement.span.into(),
+                            },
+                        ],
+                    }],
+                    opt: FormatOptions {
+                        color: true,
+                        ..Default::default()
+                    },
+                };
+
+                let dl = DisplayList::from(snippet);
+                errors.push(Check::Error(dl));
+            },
             Statement::Function(_function) => {}
         }
     }