diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc b/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
index 7b025be23..a11327f77 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ std::string AttrCursor::getString()
     auto & v = forceValue();
 
     if (v.type != tString && v.type != tPath)
-        throw TypeError("'%s' is not a string but %s", getAttrPathStr(), showType(v.type));
+        throw TypeError("'%s' is not a string but %s", getAttrPathStr(), showType(v.normalType()));
 
     return v.type == tString ? v.string.s : v.path;
 }
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ string_t AttrCursor::getStringWithContext()
     else if (v.type == tPath)
         return {v.path, {}};
     else
-        throw TypeError("'%s' is not a string but %s", getAttrPathStr(), showType(v.type));
+        throw TypeError("'%s' is not a string but %s", getAttrPathStr(), showType(v.normalType()));
 }
 
 bool AttrCursor::getBool()
diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval.cc b/src/libexpr/eval.cc
index c6f4d1716..48fe0bbda 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval.cc
@@ -165,25 +165,20 @@ const Value *getPrimOp(const Value &v) {
     return primOp;
 }
 
-
-string showType(ValueType type)
+string showType(NormalType type)
 {
     switch (type) {
-        case tInt: return "an integer";
-        case tBool: return "a Boolean";
-        case tString: return "a string";
-        case tPath: return "a path";
-        case tNull: return "null";
-        case tAttrs: return "a set";
-        case tList1: case tList2: case tListN: return "a list";
-        case tThunk: return "a thunk";
-        case tApp: return "a function application";
-        case tLambda: return "a function";
-        case tBlackhole: return "a black hole";
-        case tPrimOp: return "a built-in function";
-        case tPrimOpApp: return "a partially applied built-in function";
-        case tExternal: return "an external value";
-        case tFloat: return "a float";
+        case nInt: return "an integer";
+        case nBool: return "a Boolean";
+        case nString: return "a string";
+        case nPath: return "a path";
+        case nNull: return "null";
+        case nAttrs: return "a set";
+        case nList: return "a list";
+        case nFunction: return "a function";
+        case nExternal: return "an external value";
+        case nFloat: return "a float";
+        case nThunk: return "a thunk";
     }
     abort();
 }
@@ -198,8 +193,11 @@ string showType(const Value & v)
         case tPrimOpApp:
             return fmt("the partially applied built-in function '%s'", string(getPrimOp(v)->primOp->name));
         case tExternal: return v.external->showType();
+        case tThunk: return "a thunk";
+        case tApp: return "a function application";
+        case tBlackhole: return "a black hole";
     default:
-        return showType(v.type);
+        return showType(v.normalType());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval.hh b/src/libexpr/eval.hh
index 0e1f61baa..211529954 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval.hh
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ private:
 
 
 /* Return a string representing the type of the value `v'. */
-string showType(ValueType type);
+string showType(NormalType type);
 string showType(const Value & v);
 
 /* Decode a context string ‘!<name>!<path>’ into a pair <path,
diff --git a/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc b/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
index 3e866e1f9..881b1b4e5 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
@@ -78,13 +78,13 @@ static void forceTrivialValue(EvalState & state, Value & value, const Pos & pos)
 }
 
 
-static void expectType(EvalState & state, ValueType type,
+static void expectType(EvalState & state, NormalType type,
     Value & value, const Pos & pos)
 {
     forceTrivialValue(state, value, pos);
-    if (value.type != type)
+    if (value.normalType() != type)
         throw Error("expected %s but got %s at %s",
-            showType(type), showType(value.type), pos);
+            showType(type), showType(value.normalType()), pos);
 }
 
 static std::map<FlakeId, FlakeInput> parseFlakeInputs(
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static std::map<FlakeId, FlakeInput> parseFlakeInputs(
 static FlakeInput parseFlakeInput(EvalState & state,
     const std::string & inputName, Value * value, const Pos & pos)
 {
-    expectType(state, tAttrs, *value, pos);
+    expectType(state, nAttrs, *value, pos);
 
     FlakeInput input;
 
@@ -108,16 +108,16 @@ static FlakeInput parseFlakeInput(EvalState & state,
     for (nix::Attr attr : *(value->attrs)) {
         try {
             if (attr.name == sUrl) {
-                expectType(state, tString, *attr.value, *attr.pos);
+                expectType(state, nString, *attr.value, *attr.pos);
                 url = attr.value->string.s;
                 attrs.emplace("url", *url);
             } else if (attr.name == sFlake) {
-                expectType(state, tBool, *attr.value, *attr.pos);
+                expectType(state, nBool, *attr.value, *attr.pos);
                 input.isFlake = attr.value->boolean;
             } else if (attr.name == sInputs) {
                 input.overrides = parseFlakeInputs(state, attr.value, *attr.pos);
             } else if (attr.name == sFollows) {
-                expectType(state, tString, *attr.value, *attr.pos);
+                expectType(state, nString, *attr.value, *attr.pos);
                 input.follows = parseInputPath(attr.value->string.s);
             } else {
                 if (attr.value->type == tString)
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ static std::map<FlakeId, FlakeInput> parseFlakeInputs(
 {
     std::map<FlakeId, FlakeInput> inputs;
 
-    expectType(state, tAttrs, *value, pos);
+    expectType(state, nAttrs, *value, pos);
 
     for (nix::Attr & inputAttr : *(*value).attrs) {
         inputs.emplace(inputAttr.name,
@@ -199,10 +199,10 @@ static Flake getFlake(
     Value vInfo;
     state.evalFile(flakeFile, vInfo, true); // FIXME: symlink attack
 
-    expectType(state, tAttrs, vInfo, Pos(foFile, state.symbols.create(flakeFile), 0, 0));
+    expectType(state, nAttrs, vInfo, Pos(foFile, state.symbols.create(flakeFile), 0, 0));
 
     if (auto description = vInfo.attrs->get(state.sDescription)) {
-        expectType(state, tString, *description->value, *description->pos);
+        expectType(state, nString, *description->value, *description->pos);
         flake.description = description->value->string.s;
     }
 
@@ -214,9 +214,9 @@ static Flake getFlake(
     auto sOutputs = state.symbols.create("outputs");
 
     if (auto outputs = vInfo.attrs->get(sOutputs)) {
-        expectType(state, tLambda, *outputs->value, *outputs->pos);
+        expectType(state, nFunction, *outputs->value, *outputs->pos);
 
-        if (outputs->value->lambda.fun->matchAttrs) {
+        if (outputs->value->type == tLambda && outputs->value->lambda.fun->matchAttrs) {
             for (auto & formal : outputs->value->lambda.fun->formals->formals) {
                 if (formal.name != state.sSelf)
                     flake.inputs.emplace(formal.name, FlakeInput {
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ static Flake getFlake(
     auto sNixConfig = state.symbols.create("nixConfig");
 
     if (auto nixConfig = vInfo.attrs->get(sNixConfig)) {
-        expectType(state, tAttrs, *nixConfig->value, *nixConfig->pos);
+        expectType(state, nAttrs, *nixConfig->value, *nixConfig->pos);
 
         for (auto & setting : *nixConfig->value->attrs) {
             forceTrivialValue(state, *setting.value, *setting.pos);
diff --git a/src/libexpr/value.hh b/src/libexpr/value.hh
index fe11bb2ed..833af0f3d 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/value.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/value.hh
@@ -29,6 +29,22 @@ typedef enum {
     tFloat
 } ValueType;
 
+// This type abstracts over all actual value types in the language,
+// grouping together implementation details like tList*, different function
+// types, and types in non-normal form (so thunks and co.)
+typedef enum {
+    nThunk,
+    nInt,
+    nFloat,
+    nBool,
+    nString,
+    nPath,
+    nNull,
+    nAttrs,
+    nList,
+    nFunction,
+    nExternal
+} NormalType;
 
 class Bindings;
 struct Env;
@@ -147,6 +163,26 @@ struct Value
         NixFloat fpoint;
     };
 
+    // Returns the normal type of a Value. This only returns nThunk if the
+    // Value hasn't been forceValue'd
+    inline NormalType normalType() const
+    {
+        switch (type) {
+            case tInt: return nInt;
+            case tBool: return nBool;
+            case tString: return nString;
+            case tPath: return nPath;
+            case tNull: return nNull;
+            case tAttrs: return nAttrs;
+            case tList1: case tList2: case tListN: return nList;
+            case tLambda: case tPrimOp: case tPrimOpApp: return nFunction;
+            case tExternal: return nExternal;
+            case tFloat: return nFloat;
+            case tThunk: case tApp: case tBlackhole: return nThunk;
+        }
+        abort();
+    }
+
     bool isList() const
     {
         return type == tList1 || type == tList2 || type == tListN;