diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 80461e16ff..baa1779af0 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -978,7 +978,9 @@ pub struct LocalVariable {
     pub name: Option<String>,
     /// The type of this variable.
     pub ty: Handle<Type>,
-    /// Initial value for this variable. Must be a const-expression.
+    /// Initial value for this variable. Must be a constant expression.
+    ///
+    /// [constant expression]: index.html#constant-expressions
     pub init: Option<Handle<Expression>>,
 }
 
diff --git a/src/valid/function.rs b/src/valid/function.rs
index a056a1d1f6..ca5877ba1e 100644
--- a/src/valid/function.rs
+++ b/src/valid/function.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ pub enum LocalVariableError {
     InvalidType(Handle<crate::Type>),
     #[error("Initializer doesn't match the variable type")]
     InitializerType,
+    #[error("Initializer is not const")]
+    NonConstInitializer,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, thiserror::Error)]
@@ -942,6 +944,7 @@ impl super::Validator {
         var: &crate::LocalVariable,
         gctx: crate::proc::GlobalCtx,
         fun_info: &FunctionInfo,
+        expression_constness: &crate::proc::ExpressionConstnessTracker,
     ) -> Result<(), LocalVariableError> {
         log::debug!("var {:?}", var);
         let type_info = self
@@ -958,6 +961,10 @@ impl super::Validator {
             if !decl_ty.equivalent(init_ty, gctx.types) {
                 return Err(LocalVariableError::InitializerType);
             }
+
+            if !expression_constness.is_const(init) {
+                return Err(LocalVariableError::NonConstInitializer);
+            }
         }
 
         Ok(())
@@ -973,9 +980,13 @@ impl super::Validator {
         #[cfg_attr(not(feature = "validate"), allow(unused_mut))]
         let mut info = mod_info.process_function(fun, module, self.flags, self.capabilities)?;
 
+        #[cfg(feature = "validate")]
+        let expression_constness =
+            crate::proc::ExpressionConstnessTracker::from_arena(&fun.expressions);
+
         #[cfg(feature = "validate")]
         for (var_handle, var) in fun.local_variables.iter() {
-            self.validate_local_var(var, module.to_ctx(), &info)
+            self.validate_local_var(var, module.to_ctx(), &info, &expression_constness)
                 .map_err(|source| {
                     FunctionError::LocalVariable {
                         handle: var_handle,