diff --git a/flang/lib/Semantics/expression.cpp b/flang/lib/Semantics/expression.cpp
--- a/flang/lib/Semantics/expression.cpp
+++ b/flang/lib/Semantics/expression.cpp
@@ -200,6 +200,10 @@
   const Symbol &last{ref.GetLastSymbol()};
   const Symbol &symbol{BypassGeneric(last).GetUltimate()};
   if (semantics::IsProcedure(symbol)) {
+    if (symbol.attrs().test(semantics::Attr::ABSTRACT)) {
+      Say("Abstract procedure interface '%s' may not be used as a designator"_err_en_US,
+          last.name());
+    }
     if (auto *component{std::get_if<Component>(&ref.u)}) {
       return Expr<SomeType>{ProcedureDesignator{std::move(*component)}};
     } else if (!std::holds_alternative<SymbolRef>(ref.u)) {
@@ -2340,6 +2344,10 @@
       // re-resolve name to the specific procedure
       name.symbol = const_cast<Symbol *>(resolution);
     }
+  } else if (IsProcedure(ultimate) &&
+      ultimate.attrs().test(semantics::Attr::ABSTRACT)) {
+    Say("Abstract procedure interface '%s' may not be referenced"_err_en_US,
+        name.source);
   } else {
     resolution = symbol;
   }
diff --git a/flang/lib/Semantics/resolve-names.cpp b/flang/lib/Semantics/resolve-names.cpp
--- a/flang/lib/Semantics/resolve-names.cpp
+++ b/flang/lib/Semantics/resolve-names.cpp
@@ -6981,10 +6981,7 @@
     if (!symbol->has<GenericDetails>()) {
       CheckImplicitNoneExternal(name.source, *symbol);
     }
-    if (symbol->has<SubprogramDetails>() &&
-        symbol->attrs().test(Attr::ABSTRACT)) {
-      Say(name, "Abstract interface '%s' may not be called"_err_en_US);
-    } else if (IsProcedure(*symbol) || symbol->has<DerivedTypeDetails>() ||
+    if (IsProcedure(*symbol) || symbol->has<DerivedTypeDetails>() ||
         symbol->has<AssocEntityDetails>()) {
       // Symbols with DerivedTypeDetails and AssocEntityDetails are accepted
       // here as procedure-designators because this means the related
diff --git a/flang/test/Semantics/abstract02.f90 b/flang/test/Semantics/abstract02.f90
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flang/test/Semantics/abstract02.f90
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+! RUN: %python %S/test_errors.py %s %flang_fc1
+! Test misuse of abstract interfaces
+program test
+  abstract interface
+    subroutine abstract
+    end subroutine
+  end interface
+  procedure(abstract), pointer :: p
+  !ERROR: Abstract procedure interface 'abstract' may not be referenced
+  call abstract
+  !ERROR: Abstract procedure interface 'abstract' may not be used as a designator
+  p => abstract
+  !ERROR: Abstract procedure interface 'abstract' may not be used as a designator
+  call foo(abstract)
+  !ERROR: Abstract procedure interface 'abstract' may not be used as a designator
+  print *, associated(p, abstract)
+end
diff --git a/flang/test/Semantics/resolve20.f90 b/flang/test/Semantics/resolve20.f90
--- a/flang/test/Semantics/resolve20.f90
+++ b/flang/test/Semantics/resolve20.f90
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
   abstract interface
     subroutine foo
     end subroutine
+    subroutine foo2
+    end subroutine
   end interface
 
   procedure() :: a
@@ -70,9 +72,9 @@
   subroutine bar
   end subroutine
   subroutine test
-    !ERROR: Abstract interface 'foo' may not be called
-    call foo()
-    !ERROR: Abstract interface 'f' may not be called
+    !ERROR: Abstract procedure interface 'foo2' may not be referenced
+    call foo2()
+    !ERROR: Abstract procedure interface 'f' may not be referenced
     x = f()
   end subroutine
 end module