diff --git a/compiler/ir/backend.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/IrValidator.kt b/compiler/ir/backend.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/IrValidator.kt
index e009d4e6357..9bb15101f0d 100644
--- a/compiler/ir/backend.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/IrValidator.kt
+++ b/compiler/ir/backend.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/IrValidator.kt
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ data class IrValidatorConfig(
     val checkTypes: Boolean = true,
     val checkDescriptors: Boolean = true,
     val checkProperties: Boolean = false,
+    val checkScopes: Boolean = false,
 )
 
 class IrValidator(val context: CommonBackendContext, val config: IrValidatorConfig) : IrElementVisitorVoid {
@@ -65,6 +66,9 @@ class IrValidator(val context: CommonBackendContext, val config: IrValidatorConf
     override fun visitFile(declaration: IrFile) {
         currentFile = declaration
         super.visitFile(declaration)
+        if (config.checkScopes) {
+            ScopeValidator(this::error).visitFile(declaration)
+        }
     }
 
     private fun error(element: IrElement, message: String) {
diff --git a/compiler/ir/backend.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/ScopeValidator.kt b/compiler/ir/backend.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/ScopeValidator.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..81a8afd69be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/ir/backend.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/ScopeValidator.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2010-2020 JetBrains s.r.o. and Kotlin Programming Language contributors.
+ * Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license that can be found in the license/LICENSE.txt file.
+ */
+
+package org.jetbrains.kotlin.backend.common
+
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.IrElement
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.declarations.*
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.expressions.*
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.symbols.IrTypeParameterSymbol
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.types.IrSimpleType
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.types.IrType
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.types.IrTypeProjection
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.util.constructors
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.util.parentAsClass
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.util.render
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.visitors.IrElementVisitorVoid
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.ir.visitors.acceptChildrenVoid
+
+/* Make sure that all the variable references and type parameter references are within the scope of the corresponding variables and
+   type parameters.
+*/
+class ScopeValidator(
+    private val reportError: ReportError
+) : IrElementVisitorVoid {
+
+    
+    private val accessibleValues = mutableSetOf<IrValueDeclaration>()
+    private val valuesStack = mutableListOf<MutableSet<IrValueDeclaration>>()
+
+    private val accessibleTypeParameters = mutableSetOf<IrTypeParameter>()
+
+
+    override fun visitElement(element: IrElement) {
+        element.acceptChildrenVoid(this)
+    }
+
+    override fun visitClass(declaration: IrClass) {
+        handleTypeParameterContainer(declaration.typeParameters) {
+            for (superType in declaration.superTypes) {
+                visitTypeAccess(declaration, superType)
+            }
+            handleValuesContainer(listOfNotNull(declaration.thisReceiver)) {
+                super.visitClass(declaration)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    override fun visitFunction(declaration: IrFunction) {
+        handleTypeParameterContainer(declaration.typeParameters) {
+            visitTypeAccess(declaration, declaration.returnType)
+            handleValuesContainer(declaration.valueParameters) {
+                declaration.dispatchReceiverParameter?.let { addAccessibleValue(it) }
+                declaration.extensionReceiverParameter?.let { addAccessibleValue(it) }
+                super.visitFunction(declaration)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    override fun visitAnonymousInitializer(declaration: IrAnonymousInitializer) {
+        val primaryConstructor = declaration.parentAsClass.primaryConstructor()
+        if (primaryConstructor == null) {
+            super.visitAnonymousInitializer(declaration)
+        } else {
+            handleValuesContainer(primaryConstructor.valueParameters) {
+                super.visitAnonymousInitializer(declaration)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    override fun visitField(declaration: IrField) {
+        visitTypeAccess(declaration, declaration.type)
+        if (declaration.initializer == null) {
+            return super.visitField(declaration)
+        }
+        val primaryConstructor = (declaration.parent as? IrClass)?.primaryConstructor()
+        if (primaryConstructor == null) {
+            super.visitField(declaration)
+        } else {
+            handleValuesContainer(primaryConstructor.valueParameters) {
+                super.visitField(declaration)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    override fun visitBlock(expression: IrBlock) {
+        handleValuesContainer(emptyList()) {
+            super.visitBlock(expression)
+        }
+    }
+
+    override fun visitVariable(declaration: IrVariable) {
+        visitTypeAccess(declaration, declaration.type)
+        super.visitVariable(declaration)
+        addAccessibleValue(declaration)
+    }
+
+    override fun visitTypeAlias(declaration: IrTypeAlias) {
+        handleTypeParameterContainer(declaration.typeParameters) {
+            visitTypeAccess(declaration, declaration.expandedType)
+            super.visitTypeAlias(declaration)
+        }
+    }
+
+    override fun visitTypeParameter(declaration: IrTypeParameter) {
+        for (superType in declaration.superTypes) {
+            visitTypeAccess(declaration, superType)
+        }
+        super.visitTypeParameter(declaration)
+    }
+
+    override fun visitValueParameter(declaration: IrValueParameter) {
+        visitTypeAccess(declaration, declaration.type)
+        declaration.varargElementType?.let { visitTypeAccess(declaration, it) }
+        super.visitValueParameter(declaration)
+    }
+
+    override fun visitVariableAccess(expression: IrValueAccessExpression) {
+        if (expression.symbol.owner !in accessibleValues) {
+            reportError(expression, "Value ${expression.symbol.owner.render()} not accessible")
+        }
+        super.visitVariableAccess(expression)
+    }
+
+    override fun visitCatch(aCatch: IrCatch) {
+        // catchParameter only has scope over result expression
+        handleValuesContainer(emptyList()) {
+            super.visitCatch(aCatch)
+        }
+    }
+
+    override fun visitTypeOperator(expression: IrTypeOperatorCall) {
+        visitTypeAccess(expression, expression.typeOperand)
+        super.visitTypeOperator(expression)
+    }
+
+    private fun visitTypeAccess(element: IrElement, type: IrType) {
+        if (type !is IrSimpleType) return
+        if (type.classifier is IrTypeParameterSymbol && type.classifier.owner !in accessibleTypeParameters) {
+            reportError(element, "Type parameter ${type.classifier.owner.render()} not accessible")
+        }
+        for (arg in type.arguments) {
+            if (arg is IrTypeProjection) {
+                visitTypeAccess(element, arg.type)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    override fun visitExpression(expression: IrExpression) {
+        visitTypeAccess(expression, expression.type)
+        super.visitExpression(expression)
+    }
+
+    private inline fun handleTypeParameterContainer(typeParameters: List<IrTypeParameter>, block: () -> Unit) {
+        accessibleTypeParameters.addAll(typeParameters)
+        block()
+        accessibleTypeParameters.removeAll(typeParameters)
+    }
+
+    private inline fun handleValuesContainer(values: List<IrValueDeclaration>, block: () -> Unit) {
+        accessibleValues.addAll(values)
+        valuesStack.add(values.toMutableSet())
+        block()
+        val toDrop = valuesStack.removeLast()
+        accessibleValues.removeAll(toDrop)
+    }
+
+    private fun addAccessibleValue(value: IrValueDeclaration) {
+        accessibleValues.add(value)
+        valuesStack.last().add(value)
+    }
+
+    private fun IrClass.primaryConstructor(): IrConstructor? = constructors.singleOrNull { it.isPrimary }
+}
\ No newline at end of file