diff --git a/compiler/rustc_lint/src/redundant_semicolon.rs b/compiler/rustc_lint/src/redundant_semicolon.rs
index 84cc7b68d4ca9..428198cae8917 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_lint/src/redundant_semicolon.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_lint/src/redundant_semicolon.rs
@@ -28,25 +28,40 @@ declare_lint_pass!(RedundantSemicolons => [REDUNDANT_SEMICOLONS]);
 
 impl EarlyLintPass for RedundantSemicolons {
     fn check_block(&mut self, cx: &EarlyContext<'_>, block: &Block) {
+        let mut after_item_stmt = false;
         let mut seq = None;
         for stmt in block.stmts.iter() {
             match (&stmt.kind, &mut seq) {
                 (StmtKind::Empty, None) => seq = Some((stmt.span, false)),
                 (StmtKind::Empty, Some(seq)) => *seq = (seq.0.to(stmt.span), true),
-                (_, seq) => maybe_lint_redundant_semis(cx, seq),
+                (_, seq) => {
+                    maybe_lint_redundant_semis(cx, seq, after_item_stmt);
+                    after_item_stmt = matches!(stmt.kind, StmtKind::Item(_));
+                }
             }
         }
-        maybe_lint_redundant_semis(cx, &mut seq);
+        maybe_lint_redundant_semis(cx, &mut seq, after_item_stmt);
     }
 }
 
-fn maybe_lint_redundant_semis(cx: &EarlyContext<'_>, seq: &mut Option<(Span, bool)>) {
+fn maybe_lint_redundant_semis(
+    cx: &EarlyContext<'_>,
+    seq: &mut Option<(Span, bool)>,
+    after_item_stmt: bool,
+) {
     if let Some((span, multiple)) = seq.take() {
         // FIXME: Find a better way of ignoring the trailing
         // semicolon from macro expansion
         if span == rustc_span::DUMMY_SP {
             return;
         }
+
+        // FIXME: Lint on semicolons after item statements
+        // once doing so doesn't break bootstrapping
+        if after_item_stmt {
+            return;
+        }
+
         cx.struct_span_lint(REDUNDANT_SEMICOLONS, span, |lint| {
             let (msg, rem) = if multiple {
                 ("unnecessary trailing semicolons", "remove these semicolons")
diff --git a/src/test/ui/lint/redundant-semicolon/item-stmt-semi.rs b/src/test/ui/lint/redundant-semicolon/item-stmt-semi.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..4592bc31a3976
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/ui/lint/redundant-semicolon/item-stmt-semi.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+// check-pass
+// This test should stop compiling
+// we decide to enable this lint for item statements.
+
+#![deny(redundant_semicolons)]
+
+fn main() {
+    fn inner() {};
+    struct Bar {};
+}