diff --git a/mlir/lib/Dialect/OpenACC/IR/OpenACC.cpp b/mlir/lib/Dialect/OpenACC/IR/OpenACC.cpp
--- a/mlir/lib/Dialect/OpenACC/IR/OpenACC.cpp
+++ b/mlir/lib/Dialect/OpenACC/IR/OpenACC.cpp
@@ -580,7 +580,10 @@
 }
 
 LogicalResult acc::SerialOp::verify() {
-
+  if (failed(checkSymOperandList<mlir::acc::PrivateRecipeOp>(
+          *this, getPrivatizations(), getGangPrivateOperands(), "private",
+          "privatizations")))
+    return failure();
   return checkDataOperands<acc::SerialOp>(*this, getDataClauseOperands());
 }
 
diff --git a/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenACC/invalid.mlir b/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenACC/invalid.mlir
--- a/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenACC/invalid.mlir
+++ b/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenACC/invalid.mlir
@@ -462,3 +462,12 @@
   %2 = arith.constant 0 : i32
   acc.yield %2 : i32
 }
+
+// -----
+
+func.func @fct1(%0 : !llvm.ptr<i32>) -> () {
+  // expected-error@+1 {{expected symbol reference @privatization_i32 to point to a private declaration}}
+  acc.serial private(@privatization_i32 -> %0 : !llvm.ptr<i32>) {
+  }
+  return
+}