diff --git a/p4-16/spec/P4-16-spec.mdk b/p4-16/spec/P4-16-spec.mdk
index 00fbd58c72..38258debc9 100644
--- a/p4-16/spec/P4-16-spec.mdk
+++ b/p4-16/spec/P4-16-spec.mdk
@@ -2151,6 +2151,7 @@ to a `set` type. These types are used during type-checking.
 typeDeclaration
     : derivedTypeDeclaration
     | typedefDeclaration
+    | newtypeDeclaration
     | parserTypeDeclaration ';'
     | controlTypeDeclaration ';'
     | packageTypeDeclaration ';'
@@ -2992,7 +2993,8 @@ Similarly to `typedef`, the keyword `type` can be used to introduce a
 new type.
 
 ~ Begin P4Grammar
-    | optAnnotations TYPE typeRef name
+newtypeDeclaration
+    : optAnnotations TYPE typeRef name
     | optAnnotations TYPE derivedTypeDeclaration name
 ~ End P4Grammar
 
@@ -5160,10 +5162,10 @@ emptyStatement
 
 ## Block statement { #sec-block-stmt }
 
-A block statement is denoted by curly braces. It contains a
-sequence of statements and declarations, which are executed
-sequentially. The variables and constants within a
-block statement are only visible within the block.
+A block statement is denoted by curly braces. It contains a sequence
+of statements and declarations, which are executed sequentially. The
+variables, constants, typedefs, and instantiations within a block
+statement are only visible within the block.
 
 ~ Begin P4Grammar
 blockStatement
@@ -5178,6 +5180,7 @@ statOrDeclList
 statementOrDeclaration
     : variableDeclaration
     | constantDeclaration
+    | typedefDeclaration
     | statement
     ;
 ~ End P4Grammar
diff --git a/p4-16/spec/grammar.mdk b/p4-16/spec/grammar.mdk
index 7e6c35d301..23fe7bd5a2 100644
--- a/p4-16/spec/grammar.mdk
+++ b/p4-16/spec/grammar.mdk
@@ -378,6 +378,7 @@ typeArgumentList
 typeDeclaration
     : derivedTypeDeclaration
     | typedefDeclaration
+    | newtypeDeclaration
     | parserTypeDeclaration ';'
     | controlTypeDeclaration ';'
     | packageTypeDeclaration ';'
@@ -441,6 +442,9 @@ specifiedIdentifier
 typedefDeclaration
     : optAnnotations TYPEDEF typeRef name ';'
     | optAnnotations TYPEDEF derivedTypeDeclaration name ';'
+    ;
+
+newtypeDeclaration
     | optAnnotations TYPE typeRef name ';'
     | optAnnotations TYPE derivedTypeDeclaration name ';'
     ;
@@ -518,6 +522,7 @@ switchLabel
 statementOrDeclaration
     : variableDeclaration
     | constantDeclaration
+    | typedefDeclaration
     | statement
     ;