diff --git a/flang/lib/Evaluate/intrinsics.cpp b/flang/lib/Evaluate/intrinsics.cpp
--- a/flang/lib/Evaluate/intrinsics.cpp
+++ b/flang/lib/Evaluate/intrinsics.cpp
@@ -2320,18 +2320,18 @@
             }
           }
         }
-        auto dc{characteristics::DummyArgument::FromActual(
-            std::move(kw), *expr, context)};
-        if (!dc) {
-          common::die("INTERNAL: could not characterize intrinsic function "
-                      "actual argument '%s'",
+        if (auto dc{characteristics::DummyArgument::FromActual(
+                std::move(kw), *expr, context)}) {
+          dummyArgs.emplace_back(std::move(*dc));
+          if (d.typePattern.kindCode == KindCode::same && !sameDummyArg) {
+            sameDummyArg = j;
+          }
+        } else { // error recovery
+          messages.Say(
+              "Could not characterize intrinsic function actual argument '%s'"_err_en_US,
               expr->AsFortran().c_str());
           return std::nullopt;
         }
-        dummyArgs.emplace_back(std::move(*dc));
-        if (d.typePattern.kindCode == KindCode::same && !sameDummyArg) {
-          sameDummyArg = j;
-        }
       } else {
         CHECK(arg->GetAssumedTypeDummy());
         dummyArgs.emplace_back(std::string{d.keyword},
diff --git a/flang/test/Semantics/associated.f90 b/flang/test/Semantics/associated.f90
--- a/flang/test/Semantics/associated.f90
+++ b/flang/test/Semantics/associated.f90
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@
     procedure(subrInt), pointer :: subProcPointer
     procedure(), pointer :: implicitProcPointer
     procedure(subrCannotBeCalledfromImplicit), pointer :: cannotBeCalledfromImplicitPointer
+    !ERROR: 'neverdeclared' must be an abstract interface or a procedure with an explicit interface
+    procedure(neverDeclared), pointer :: badPointer
     logical :: lVar
     type(t1) :: t1x
     type(t1), target :: t1xtarget
@@ -210,5 +212,10 @@
     lvar = associated(intPointerArr, targetIntArr([2,1]))
     !ERROR: TARGET= argument 'targetintcoarray[1_8]' may not have a vector subscript or coindexing
     lvar = associated(intPointerVar1, targetIntCoarray[1])
+    !ERROR: 'neverdeclared' is not a procedure
+    !ERROR: Could not characterize intrinsic function actual argument 'badpointer'
+    !ERROR: 'neverdeclared' is not a procedure
+    !ERROR: Could not characterize intrinsic function actual argument 'badpointer'
+    lvar = associated(badPointer)
   end subroutine test
 end subroutine assoc