diff --git a/src/front/wgsl/mod.rs b/src/front/wgsl/mod.rs
index ba3f54a98..5e39a280d 100644
--- a/src/front/wgsl/mod.rs
+++ b/src/front/wgsl/mod.rs
@@ -3821,11 +3821,19 @@ impl Parser {
                 lexer.expect(Token::Separator(';'))?;
             }
             (Token::Word("let"), _) => {
-                let (name, name_span, explicit_ty, _access) = self.parse_variable_ident_decl(
-                    lexer,
-                    &mut module.types,
-                    &mut module.constants,
-                )?;
+                let (name, name_span) = lexer.next_ident_with_span()?;
+                let given_ty = if lexer.skip(Token::Separator(':')) {
+                    let (ty, _access) = self.parse_type_decl(
+                        lexer,
+                        None,
+                        &mut module.types,
+                        &mut module.constants,
+                    )?;
+                    Some(ty)
+                } else {
+                    None
+                };
+
                 lexer.expect(Token::Operation('='))?;
                 let first_token_span = lexer.next();
                 let const_handle = self.parse_const_expression_impl(
@@ -3835,21 +3843,24 @@ impl Parser {
                     &mut module.types,
                     &mut module.constants,
                 )?;
-                let con = &module.constants[const_handle];
-                let type_match = match con.inner {
-                    crate::ConstantInner::Scalar { width, value } => {
-                        module.types[explicit_ty].inner
-                            == crate::TypeInner::Scalar {
-                                kind: value.scalar_kind(),
-                                width,
-                            }
+
+                if let Some(explicit_ty) = given_ty {
+                    let con = &module.constants[const_handle];
+                    let type_match = match con.inner {
+                        crate::ConstantInner::Scalar { width, value } => {
+                            module.types[explicit_ty].inner
+                                == crate::TypeInner::Scalar {
+                                    kind: value.scalar_kind(),
+                                    width,
+                                }
+                        }
+                        crate::ConstantInner::Composite { ty, components: _ } => ty == explicit_ty,
+                    };
+                    if !type_match {
+                        return Err(Error::InitializationTypeMismatch(name_span, explicit_ty));
                     }
-                    crate::ConstantInner::Composite { ty, components: _ } => ty == explicit_ty,
-                };
-                if !type_match {
-                    return Err(Error::InitializationTypeMismatch(name_span, explicit_ty));
                 }
-                //TODO: check `ty` against `const_handle`.
+
                 lexer.expect(Token::Separator(';'))?;
                 lookup_global_expression.insert(name, crate::Expression::Constant(const_handle));
             }
diff --git a/tests/in/operators.wgsl b/tests/in/operators.wgsl
index e28eb6410..16aad6db1 100644
--- a/tests/in/operators.wgsl
+++ b/tests/in/operators.wgsl
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 //TODO: support splatting constructors for globals?
-let v_f32_one: vec4<f32> = vec4<f32>(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
-let v_f32_zero: vec4<f32> = vec4<f32>(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0);
-let v_f32_half: vec4<f32> = vec4<f32>(0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5);
-let v_i32_one: vec4<i32> = vec4<i32>(1, 1, 1, 1);
+let v_f32_one = vec4<f32>(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
+let v_f32_zero = vec4<f32>(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0);
+let v_f32_half = vec4<f32>(0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5);
+let v_i32_one = vec4<i32>(1, 1, 1, 1);
 
 fn builtins() -> vec4<f32> {
     // select()