diff --git a/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/corpus/cyclic_pep695_typevars_invalid_bound2.py b/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/corpus/cyclic_pep695_typevars_invalid_bound2.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5b3ab4e12a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/corpus/cyclic_pep695_typevars_invalid_bound2.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+def _[T: T[0]](x: T):
+    if x:
+        pass
diff --git a/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/generics/legacy/variables.md b/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/generics/legacy/variables.md
index 5917e340ab..1fea54f078 100644
--- a/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/generics/legacy/variables.md
+++ b/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/generics/legacy/variables.md
@@ -104,6 +104,26 @@ S = TypeVar("S", **{"bound": int})
 reveal_type(S)  # revealed: TypeVar
 ```
 
+### No explicit specialization
+
+A type variable itself cannot be explicitly specialized; the result of the specialization is
+`Unknown`.
+
+```py
+from typing import TypeVar
+
+T = TypeVar("T")
+
+def _(
+    # error: [invalid-type-form] "A type variable itself cannot be specialized"
+    x: T[int],
+    # error: [invalid-type-form] "A type variable itself cannot be specialized"
+    y: T[T],
+):
+    reveal_type(x)  # revealed: Unknown
+    reveal_type(y)  # revealed: Unknown
+```
+
 ### Type variables with a default
 
 Note that the `__default__` property is only available in Python ≥3.13.
diff --git a/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/generics/pep695/variables.md b/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/generics/pep695/variables.md
index eaa4b8923e..cef846ab0a 100644
--- a/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/generics/pep695/variables.md
+++ b/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/generics/pep695/variables.md
@@ -98,6 +98,22 @@ def f[T: (int,)]():
     pass
 ```
 
+### No explicit specialization
+
+A type variable itself cannot be explicitly specialized; the result of the specialization is
+`Unknown`.
+
+```py
+def _[T](
+    # error: [invalid-type-form] "A type variable itself cannot be specialized"
+    x: T[int],
+    # error: [invalid-type-form] "A type variable itself cannot be specialized"
+    y: T[T],
+):
+    reveal_type(x)  # revealed: Unknown
+    reveal_type(y)  # revealed: Unknown
+```
+
 ## Invalid uses
 
 Note that many of the invalid uses of legacy typevars do not apply to PEP 695 typevars, since the
diff --git a/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/implicit_type_aliases.md b/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/implicit_type_aliases.md
index c2569023f1..fbd9e404c9 100644
--- a/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/implicit_type_aliases.md
+++ b/crates/ty_python_semantic/resources/mdtest/implicit_type_aliases.md
@@ -414,6 +414,7 @@ def _(
     list_or_tuple_legacy: ListOrTupleLegacy[int],
     my_callable: MyCallable[[str, bytes], int],
     annotated_int: AnnotatedType[int],
+    # error: [invalid-type-form] "A type variable itself cannot be specialized"
     transparent_alias: TransparentAlias[int],
     optional_int: MyOptional[int],
 ):
@@ -427,7 +428,7 @@ def _(
     reveal_type(list_or_tuple_legacy)  # revealed: list[int] | tuple[int, ...]
     reveal_type(my_callable)  # revealed: (str, bytes, /) -> int
     reveal_type(annotated_int)  # revealed: int
-    reveal_type(transparent_alias)  # revealed: int
+    reveal_type(transparent_alias)  # revealed: Unknown
     reveal_type(optional_int)  # revealed: int | None
 ```
 
diff --git a/crates/ty_python_semantic/src/types/infer/builder/type_expression.rs b/crates/ty_python_semantic/src/types/infer/builder/type_expression.rs
index c8df4df756..ccd4be71a1 100644
--- a/crates/ty_python_semantic/src/types/infer/builder/type_expression.rs
+++ b/crates/ty_python_semantic/src/types/infer/builder/type_expression.rs
@@ -996,7 +996,12 @@ impl<'db> TypeInferenceBuilder<'db, '_> {
                     Type::unknown()
                 }
                 KnownInstanceType::TypeVar(_) => {
-                    self.infer_explicit_type_alias_specialization(subscript, value_ty, false)
+                    if let Some(builder) = self.context.report_lint(&INVALID_TYPE_FORM, subscript) {
+                        builder.into_diagnostic(format_args!(
+                            "A type variable itself cannot be specialized",
+                        ));
+                    }
+                    Type::unknown()
                 }
 
                 KnownInstanceType::UnionType(_)