diff --git a/hy/compiler.py b/hy/compiler.py
index 362e9c8..bd4d13a 100644
--- a/hy/compiler.py
+++ b/hy/compiler.py
@@ -468,6 +468,15 @@ class HyASTCompiler(object):
                           lineno=e.start_line,
                           col_offset=e.start_column)
 
+    @builds("global")
+    @checkargs(1)
+    def compile_global_expression(self,expr):
+        expr.pop(0) # global
+        e = expr.pop(0)
+        return ast.Global(names=[ast_str(e)],
+                          lineno=e.start_line,
+                          col_offset=e.start_column)
+
     @builds("lambda")
     @checkargs(min=2)
     def compile_lambda_expression(self, expr):
diff --git a/tests/compilers/test_ast.py b/tests/compilers/test_ast.py
index 3b34e14..70459b5 100644
--- a/tests/compilers/test_ast.py
+++ b/tests/compilers/test_ast.py
@@ -185,6 +185,14 @@ def test_ast_bad_assert():
     cant_compile("(assert)")
     cant_compile("(assert 1 2)")
 
+def test_ast_good_global():
+    "Make sure AST can compile valid global"
+    hy_compile(tokenize("(global a)"))
+
+def test_ast_bad_global():
+    "Make sure AST can't compile invalid global"
+    cant_compile("(global)")
+    cant_compile("(global foo bar)")
 
 def test_ast_good_lambda():
     "Make sure AST can compile valid lambda"