diff --git a/src/util/expr_cast.h b/src/util/expr_cast.h
index 18d6a933bdc..52992f0c5ea 100644
--- a/src/util/expr_cast.h
+++ b/src/util/expr_cast.h
@@ -170,8 +170,8 @@ optionalt<T> type_try_dynamic_cast(TType &&base)
   static_assert(!std::is_const<TType>::value, "Attempted to move from const.");
   if(!can_cast_type<T>(base))
     return {};
+  TType::check(base);
   optionalt<T> ret{static_cast<T &&>(base)};
-  validate_type(*ret);
   return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/util/std_types.h b/src/util/std_types.h
index d1edcfe9e82..454925b2275 100644
--- a/src/util/std_types.h
+++ b/src/util/std_types.h
@@ -1130,7 +1130,8 @@ class bv_typet:public bitvector_typet
     const typet &type,
     const validation_modet vm = validation_modet::INVARIANT)
   {
-    DATA_CHECK(!type.get(ID_width).empty(), "bitvector type must have width");
+    DATA_CHECK(
+      vm, !type.get(ID_width).empty(), "bitvector type must have width");
   }
 };
 
@@ -1241,7 +1242,7 @@ class signedbv_typet:public bitvector_typet
     const validation_modet vm = validation_modet::INVARIANT)
   {
     DATA_CHECK(
-      !type.get(ID_width).empty(), "signed bitvector type must have width");
+      vm, !type.get(ID_width).empty(), "signed bitvector type must have width");
   }
 };
 
@@ -1305,7 +1306,7 @@ class fixedbv_typet:public bitvector_typet
     const validation_modet vm = validation_modet::INVARIANT)
   {
     DATA_CHECK(
-      !type.get(ID_width).empty(), "fixed bitvector type must have width");
+      vm, !type.get(ID_width).empty(), "fixed bitvector type must have width");
   }
 };
 
@@ -1367,7 +1368,7 @@ class floatbv_typet:public bitvector_typet
     const validation_modet vm = validation_modet::INVARIANT)
   {
     DATA_CHECK(
-      !type.get(ID_width).empty(), "float bitvector type must have width");
+      vm, !type.get(ID_width).empty(), "float bitvector type must have width");
   }
 };
 
@@ -1469,7 +1470,7 @@ class pointer_typet:public bitvector_typet
     const typet &type,
     const validation_modet vm = validation_modet::INVARIANT)
   {
-    DATA_CHECK(!type.get(ID_width).empty(), "pointer must have width");
+    DATA_CHECK(vm, !type.get(ID_width).empty(), "pointer must have width");
   }
 };
 
@@ -1567,7 +1568,7 @@ class c_bool_typet:public bitvector_typet
     const typet &type,
     const validation_modet vm = validation_modet::INVARIANT)
   {
-    DATA_CHECK(!type.get(ID_width).empty(), "C bool type must have width");
+    DATA_CHECK(vm, !type.get(ID_width).empty(), "C bool type must have width");
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/util/type.h b/src/util/type.h
index 6d45c282fd7..910a06952bf 100644
--- a/src/util/type.h
+++ b/src/util/type.h
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ class typet:public irept
   ///
   /// The validation mode indicates whether well-formedness check failures are
   /// reported via DATA_INVARIANT violations or exceptions.
-  static void check(const typet &, const validation_modet)
+  static void
+  check(const typet &, const validation_modet = validation_modet::INVARIANT)
   {
   }