diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index 9610ea6c3..664512b5a 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ func (c *compiler) compileBoard(g *d2graph.Graph, ir *d2ir.Map) *d2graph.Graph {
 	c.validateLabels(g)
 	c.validateNear(g)
 	c.validateEdges(g)
+	c.validatePositionsCompatibility(g)
 
 	c.compileBoardsField(g, ir, "layers")
 	c.compileBoardsField(g, ir, "scenarios")
@@ -1130,6 +1131,26 @@ func (c *compiler) validateNear(g *d2graph.Graph) {
 
 }
 
+func (c *compiler) validatePositionsCompatibility(g *d2graph.Graph) {
+	for _, o := range g.Objects {
+		for _, pos := range []*d2graph.Scalar{o.Top, o.Left} {
+			if pos != nil {
+				if o.Parent != nil {
+					if strings.EqualFold(o.Parent.Shape.Value, d2target.ShapeHierarchy) {
+						c.errorf(pos.MapKey, `position keywords cannot be used with shape "hierarchy"`)
+					}
+					if o.OuterSequenceDiagram() != nil {
+						c.errorf(pos.MapKey, `position keywords cannot be used inside shape "sequence_diagram"`)
+					}
+					if o.Parent.GridColumns != nil || o.Parent.GridRows != nil {
+						c.errorf(pos.MapKey, `position keywords cannot be used with grids`)
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (c *compiler) validateEdges(g *d2graph.Graph) {
 	for _, edge := range g.Edges {
 		// edges from a grid to something outside is ok
diff --git a/d2compiler/compile_test.go b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
index 1ec2b7c0b..b43dec1e1 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile_test.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
@@ -2856,6 +2856,18 @@ d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/no_arrowheads_in_shape.d2:2:3: "source-arrowh
 }
 `,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "fixed-pos-shape-hierarchy",
+			text: `x: {
+  shape: hierarchy
+  a -> b
+	a.top: 20
+	a.left: 20
+}
+`,
+			expErr: `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/fixed-pos-shape-hierarchy.d2:4:2: position keywords cannot be used with shape "hierarchy"
+d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/fixed-pos-shape-hierarchy.d2:5:2: position keywords cannot be used with shape "hierarchy"`,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/fixed-pos-shape-hierarchy.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/fixed-pos-shape-hierarchy.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e2ac1e6ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/fixed-pos-shape-hierarchy.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "graph": null,
+  "err": {
+    "errs": [
+      {
+        "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/fixed-pos-shape-hierarchy.d2,3:1:34-3:10:43",
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/fixed-pos-shape-hierarchy.d2:4:2: position keywords cannot be used with shape \"hierarchy\""
+      },
+      {
+        "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/fixed-pos-shape-hierarchy.d2,4:1:45-4:11:55",
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/fixed-pos-shape-hierarchy.d2:5:2: position keywords cannot be used with shape \"hierarchy\""
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}