diff --git a/compiler.go b/compiler.go
index b53e5242..2c2f5ade 100644
--- a/compiler.go
+++ b/compiler.go
@@ -462,6 +462,8 @@ func (c *Compiler) getLLVMType(goType types.Type) (llvm.Type, error) {
 		default:
 			return llvm.Type{}, errors.New("todo: unknown basic type: " + typ.String())
 		}
+	case *types.Chan:
+		return llvm.PointerType(c.mod.GetTypeByName("runtime.channel"), 0), nil
 	case *types.Interface:
 		return c.mod.GetTypeByName("runtime._interface"), nil
 	case *types.Map:
diff --git a/src/runtime/chan.go b/src/runtime/chan.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..abd0b117
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/runtime/chan.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package runtime
+
+// This file implements the 'chan' type and send/receive/select operations.
+
+// dummy
+
+type channel struct {
+}