diff --git a/effectful/handlers/llm/synthesis.py b/effectful/handlers/llm/synthesis.py
index 3a77441b..8744fa54 100644
--- a/effectful/handlers/llm/synthesis.py
+++ b/effectful/handlers/llm/synthesis.py
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 import ast
 import collections.abc
 import dataclasses
+import inspect
 import linecache
 import re
 import textwrap
 import typing
+from collections.abc import Callable
+from typing import get_args, get_type_hints
 
 from effectful.handlers.llm import Template
 from effectful.ops.semantics import fwd
@@ -25,6 +28,48 @@ class ProgramSynthesis(ObjectInterpretation):
 
     """
 
+    def __init__(self, type_check: bool = False):
+        """Initialize the program synthesis handler.
+
+        Args:
+            type_check: Whether to verify the function signature matches the expected type.
+        """
+        self.type_check = type_check
+
+    def verify_callable_signature(self, func: Callable, expected_type: type) -> None:
+        """Verify that the function signature matches the expected type."""
+        type_args = get_args(expected_type)
+        if not type_args:
+            return
+
+        # For Callable[[P1, P2, ...], R], get_args returns ([P1, P2, ...], R)
+        # where the first element is a list of param types (or ... for Callable[..., R])
+        expected_param_types, expected_return = type_args[0], type_args[-1]
+
+        sig = inspect.signature(func)
+        actual_hints = get_type_hints(func)
+
+        # Verify the return type
+        actual_return = actual_hints.get("return", inspect.Parameter.empty)
+        if actual_return != expected_return:
+            raise SynthesisError(
+                f"Return type mismatch: expected {expected_return}, got {actual_return}"
+            )
+
+        # Verify the parameter types (if specified and not ellipsis)
+        if expected_param_types is not ... and expected_param_types:
+            params = list(sig.parameters.values())
+            if len(params) != len(expected_param_types):
+                raise SynthesisError(
+                    f"Parameter count mismatch: expected {len(expected_param_types)}, got {len(params)}"
+                )
+            for param, expected in zip(params, expected_param_types):
+                actual = actual_hints.get(param.name, inspect.Parameter.empty)
+                if actual != expected:
+                    raise SynthesisError(
+                        f"Parameter {param.name} type mismatch: expected {expected}, got {actual}"
+                    )
+
     def _parse_and_eval[T](self, t: type[T], content: str) -> T:
         pattern = r"<code>(.*?)</code>"
         code_content = re.search(pattern, content, re.DOTALL)
@@ -51,23 +96,26 @@ def _parse_and_eval[T](self, t: type[T], content: str) -> T:
         # register into linecache
         linecache.cache[filename] = (len(source_code), None, lines, filename)
 
-        # TODO: assert callable type compatibility
         gs: dict = {}
         try:
             code_obj = compile(source_code, filename, "exec")
             exec(code_obj, gs)
+
         except Exception as exc:
-            raise SynthesisError("evaluation failed", content) from exc
+            raise SynthesisError(f"evaluation failed: {exc}", content) from exc
 
+        if self.type_check:
+            self.verify_callable_signature(gs[last_decl.name], t)
+            # TODO: even more static analysis and type checking, adding type guards, etc.
         return gs[last_decl.name]
 
     @implements(Template.__call__)
     def _call(self, template, *args, **kwargs) -> None:
         ret_type = template.__signature__.return_annotation
         origin = typing.get_origin(ret_type)
-        ret_type = ret_type if origin is None else origin
+        ret_type_origin = ret_type if origin is None else origin
 
-        if not (issubclass(ret_type, collections.abc.Callable)):  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+        if not (issubclass(ret_type_origin, collections.abc.Callable)):  # type: ignore[arg-type]
             return fwd()
 
         prompt_ext = textwrap.dedent(f"""
@@ -95,6 +143,7 @@ def _call(self, template, *args, **kwargs) -> None:
             **kwargs,
         )
 
+        # Pass the full ret_type (with type args) for type checking, not just the origin
         functional = self._parse_and_eval(ret_type, response)
 
         return functional
diff --git a/tests/test_handlers_llm.py b/tests/test_handlers_llm.py
index 2531ef0d..ff8c9199 100644
--- a/tests/test_handlers_llm.py
+++ b/tests/test_handlers_llm.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 from collections.abc import Callable
 
+import pytest
+
 from effectful.handlers.llm import Template
-from effectful.handlers.llm.synthesis import ProgramSynthesis
+from effectful.handlers.llm.synthesis import ProgramSynthesis, SynthesisError
 from effectful.ops.semantics import handler
 from effectful.ops.syntax import ObjectInterpretation, implements
 
@@ -115,3 +117,26 @@ def count_occurrences(s):
         assert callable(count_a)
         assert count_a("banana") == 3
         assert count_a("cherry") == 0
+
+
+def test_count_char_with_program_synthesis_type_check():
+    """Test the count_char template with program synthesis and type checking."""
+    mock_code = """<code>
+def count_occurrences(s: str) -> int:
+    return s.count('a')
+</code>"""
+    mock_provider = SingleResponseLLMProvider(mock_code)
+
+    mock_error = """<code>def count_occurrences(s: str) -> None:
+    return None</code>"""
+    mock_error_provider = SingleResponseLLMProvider(mock_error)
+
+    with handler(mock_provider), handler(ProgramSynthesis(type_check=True)):
+        count_a = count_char("a")
+        assert callable(count_a)
+        assert count_a("banana") == 3
+        assert count_a("cherry") == 0
+
+    with pytest.raises(SynthesisError):
+        with handler(mock_error_provider), handler(ProgramSynthesis(type_check=True)):
+            count_a = count_char("a")