diff --git a/gcc/rust/util/rust-attributes.cc b/gcc/rust/util/rust-attributes.cc
index 0e523468760..bf7f3d9827d 100644
--- a/gcc/rust/util/rust-attributes.cc
+++ b/gcc/rust/util/rust-attributes.cc
@@ -912,6 +912,12 @@ AttributeChecker::visit (AST::Function &fun)
 	{
 	  check_link_section_attribute (attribute);
 	}
+      else if (result.name == Attrs::REPR)
+	{
+	  rust_error_at (
+	    attribute.get_locus (),
+	    "attribute should be applied to a struct, enum, or union");
+	}
     }
 
   if (fun.has_body ())
diff --git a/gcc/testsuite/rust/compile/issue-4232.rs b/gcc/testsuite/rust/compile/issue-4232.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fa12538808d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gcc/testsuite/rust/compile/issue-4232.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+// { dg-options "-w" }
+#[repr(C)] // { dg-error "attribute should be applied to a struct, enum, or union" }
+fn a() {}
\ No newline at end of file