diff --git a/llvm/docs/LangRef.rst b/llvm/docs/LangRef.rst
--- a/llvm/docs/LangRef.rst
+++ b/llvm/docs/LangRef.rst
@@ -5084,7 +5084,7 @@
 used for call site debug info. The ``retainedNodes:`` field is a list of
 :ref:`variables <DILocalVariable>` and :ref:`labels <DILabel>` that must be
 retained, even if their IR counterparts are optimized out of the IR. The
-``type:`` field must point at an :ref:`DISubroutineType`.
+``type:`` field is required and must point at a :ref:`DISubroutineType`.
 
 .. _DISubprogramDeclaration:
 
diff --git a/llvm/lib/IR/Verifier.cpp b/llvm/lib/IR/Verifier.cpp
--- a/llvm/lib/IR/Verifier.cpp
+++ b/llvm/lib/IR/Verifier.cpp
@@ -1189,8 +1189,9 @@
     AssertDI(isa<DIFile>(F), "invalid file", &N, F);
   else
     AssertDI(N.getLine() == 0, "line specified with no file", &N, N.getLine());
-  if (auto *T = N.getRawType())
-    AssertDI(isa<DISubroutineType>(T), "invalid subroutine type", &N, T);
+  auto *T = N.getRawType();
+  AssertDI(T, "subprogram must have a type", &N, T);
+  AssertDI(isa<DISubroutineType>(T), "invalid subroutine type", &N, T);
   AssertDI(isType(N.getRawContainingType()), "invalid containing type", &N,
            N.getRawContainingType());
   if (auto *Params = N.getRawTemplateParams())
diff --git a/llvm/test/DebugInfo/Generic/verifier-invalid-disubprogram.ll b/llvm/test/DebugInfo/Generic/verifier-invalid-disubprogram.ll
--- a/llvm/test/DebugInfo/Generic/verifier-invalid-disubprogram.ll
+++ b/llvm/test/DebugInfo/Generic/verifier-invalid-disubprogram.ll
@@ -5,75 +5,80 @@
 !0 = distinct !DICompileUnit(language: 0, file: !1)
 !1 = !DIFile(filename: "-", directory: "")
 !2 = !{i32 2, !"Debug Info Version", i32 3}
+!3 = !DISubroutineType(types: !{null})
 
 ; CHECK: invalid file
-define void @invalid_file() !dbg !3 { ret void }
-!3 = distinct !DISubprogram(file: !0)
+define void @invalid_file() !dbg !4 { ret void }
+!4 = distinct !DISubprogram(file: !0)
 
 ; CHECK: line specified with no file
-define void @line_specified_with_no_file() !dbg !4 { ret void }
-!4 = distinct !DISubprogram(line: 1)
+define void @line_specified_with_no_file() !dbg !5 { ret void }
+!5 = distinct !DISubprogram(line: 1)
+
+; CHECK:  subprogram must have a type
+define void @subprogram_must_have_a_type() !dbg !6 { ret void }
+!6 = distinct !DISubprogram()
 
 ; CHECK: invalid subroutine type
-define void @invalid_subroutine_type() !dbg !5 { ret void }
-!5 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !0)
+define void @invalid_subroutine_type() !dbg !7 { ret void }
+!7 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !0)
 
 ; CHECK: invalid containing type
-define void @invalid_containing_type() !dbg !6 { ret void }
-!6 = distinct !DISubprogram(containingType: !0)
+define void @invalid_containing_type() !dbg !8 { ret void }
+!8 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, containingType: !0)
 
 ; CHECK: invalid template params
-define void @invalid_template_params() !dbg !7 { ret void }
-!7 = distinct !DISubprogram(templateParams: !0)
+define void @invalid_template_params() !dbg !9 { ret void }
+!9 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, templateParams: !0)
 
 ; CHECK: invalid template parameter
-define void @invalid_template_parameter() !dbg !8 { ret void }
-!8 = distinct !DISubprogram(templateParams: !{!0})
+define void @invalid_template_parameter() !dbg !10 { ret void }
+!10 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, templateParams: !{!0})
 
 ; CHECK: invalid subprogram declaration
-define void @invalid_subprogram_declaration() !dbg !9 { ret void }
-!9 = distinct !DISubprogram(declaration: !0)
+define void @invalid_subprogram_declaration() !dbg !11 { ret void }
+!11 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, declaration: !0)
 
 ; CHECK: invalid retained nodes list
-define void @invalid_retained_nodes_list() !dbg !10 { ret void }
-!10 = distinct !DISubprogram(retainedNodes: !0)
+define void @invalid_retained_nodes_list() !dbg !12 { ret void }
+!12 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, retainedNodes: !0)
 
 ; CHECK: invalid retained nodes, expected DILocalVariable or DILabel
-define void @invalid_retained_nodes_expected() !dbg !11 { ret void }
-!11 = distinct !DISubprogram(retainedNodes: !{!0})
+define void @invalid_retained_nodes_expected() !dbg !13 { ret void }
+!13 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, retainedNodes: !{!0})
 
 ; CHECK: invalid reference flags
-define void @invalid_reference_flags_reference() !dbg !12 { ret void }
-!12 = distinct !DISubprogram(flags: DIFlagLValueReference | DIFlagRValueReference)
+define void @invalid_reference_flags_reference() !dbg !14 { ret void }
+!14 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, flags: DIFlagLValueReference | DIFlagRValueReference)
 
 ; CHECK: invalid reference flags
-define void @invalid_reference_flags_pass_by() !dbg !13 { ret void }
-!13 = distinct !DISubprogram(flags: DIFlagTypePassByValue | DIFlagTypePassByReference)
+define void @invalid_reference_flags_pass_by() !dbg !15 { ret void }
+!15 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, flags: DIFlagTypePassByValue | DIFlagTypePassByReference)
 
 ; CHECK: subprogram definitions must have a compile unit
-define void @subprogram_definitions_must_have_a_compile_unit() !dbg !14 { ret void }
-!14 = distinct !DISubprogram()
+define void @subprogram_definitions_must_have_a_compile_unit() !dbg !16 { ret void }
+!16 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3)
 
 ; CHECK: invalid unit type
-define void @invalid_unit_type() !dbg !15 { ret void }
-!15 = distinct !DISubprogram(unit: !{})
+define void @invalid_unit_type() !dbg !17 { ret void }
+!17 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, unit: !{})
 
 ; FIXME: should something verify `isDefinition` is not a lie? is it meaningful
 ; to mistmatch it with respect to the LLVM IR function?
 ; CHECK: subprogram declarations must not have a compile unit
-define void @subprogram_declarations_must_not_have_a_compile_unit() !dbg !16 { ret void }
-!16 = distinct !DISubprogram(isDefinition: false, unit: !0)
+define void @subprogram_declarations_must_not_have_a_compile_unit() !dbg !18 { ret void }
+!18 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, isDefinition: false, unit: !0)
 
 ; CHECK: invalid thrown types list
-define void @invalid_thrown_types_list() !dbg !17 { ret void }
-!17 = distinct !DISubprogram(isDefinition: false, thrownTypes: !0)
+define void @invalid_thrown_types_list() !dbg !19 { ret void }
+!19 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, isDefinition: false, thrownTypes: !0)
 
 ; CHECK: invalid thrown type
-define void @invalid_thrown_type() !dbg !18 { ret void }
-!18 = distinct !DISubprogram(isDefinition: false, thrownTypes: !{!0})
+define void @invalid_thrown_type() !dbg !20 { ret void }
+!20 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, isDefinition: false, thrownTypes: !{!0})
 
 ; CHECK: DIFlagAllCallsDescribed must be attached to a definition
-define void @DIFlagAllCallsDescribed_must_be_attached_to_a_definition() !dbg !19 { ret void }
-!19 = distinct !DISubprogram(isDefinition: false, flags: DIFlagAllCallsDescribed)
+define void @DIFlagAllCallsDescribed_must_be_attached_to_a_definition() !dbg !21 { ret void }
+!21 = distinct !DISubprogram(type: !3, isDefinition: false, flags: DIFlagAllCallsDescribed)
 
 ; CHECK: warning: ignoring invalid debug info{{.*}}