diff --git a/artiq/compiler/math_fns.py b/artiq/compiler/math_fns.py
index 83c1f82b4..4e67dfef0 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/math_fns.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/math_fns.py
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ unary_fp_runtime_calls = [
     ("arctan", "atan"),
 ]
 
+#: Array handling builtins (special treatment due to allocations).
+numpy_builtins = ["transpose"]
+
 
 def unary_fp_type(name):
     return types.TExternalFunction(OrderedDict([("arg", builtins.TFloat())]),
@@ -36,6 +39,8 @@ numpy_map = {
     getattr(numpy, symbol): unary_fp_type(mangle)
     for symbol, mangle in (unary_fp_intrinsics + unary_fp_runtime_calls)
 }
+for name in numpy_builtins:
+    numpy_map[getattr(numpy, name)] = types.TBuiltinFunction("numpy." + name)
 
 
 def match(obj):
diff --git a/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py b/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py
index e148ce184..ab162288d 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py
@@ -2217,6 +2217,51 @@ class ARTIQIRGenerator(algorithm.Visitor):
                 return result
             else:
                 assert False
+        elif types.is_builtin(typ, "numpy.transpose"):
+            if len(node.args) == 1 and len(node.keywords) == 0:
+                arg, = map(self.visit, node.args)
+
+                num_dims = arg.type.find()["num_dims"].value
+                if num_dims == 1:
+                    # No-op as per NumPy semantics.
+                    return arg
+                assert num_dims == 2
+                arg_shape = self.append(ir.GetAttr(arg, "shape"))
+                dim0 = self.append(ir.GetAttr(arg_shape, 0))
+                dim1 = self.append(ir.GetAttr(arg_shape, 1))
+                shape = self._make_array_shape([dim1, dim0])
+                result = self._allocate_new_array(node.type.find()["elt"], shape)
+                arg_buffer = self.append(ir.GetAttr(arg, "buffer"))
+                result_buffer = self.append(ir.GetAttr(result, "buffer"))
+
+                def outer_gen(idx1):
+                    arg_base = self.append(ir.Offset(arg_buffer, idx1))
+                    result_offset = self.append(ir.Arith(ast.Mult(loc=None), idx1,
+                                                         dim0))
+                    result_base = self.append(ir.Offset(result_buffer, result_offset))
+
+                    def inner_gen(idx0):
+                        arg_offset = self.append(
+                            ir.Arith(ast.Mult(loc=None), idx0, dim1))
+                        val = self.append(ir.GetElem(arg_base, arg_offset))
+                        self.append(ir.SetElem(result_base, idx0, val))
+                        return self.append(
+                            ir.Arith(ast.Add(loc=None), idx0, ir.Constant(1,
+                                                                          idx0.type)))
+
+                    self._make_loop(
+                        ir.Constant(0, self._size_type), lambda idx0: self.append(
+                            ir.Compare(ast.Lt(loc=None), idx0, dim0)), inner_gen)
+                    return self.append(
+                        ir.Arith(ast.Add(loc=None), idx1, ir.Constant(1, idx1.type)))
+
+                self._make_loop(
+                    ir.Constant(0, self._size_type),
+                    lambda idx1: self.append(ir.Compare(ast.Lt(loc=None), idx1, dim1)),
+                    outer_gen)
+                return result
+            else:
+                assert False
         elif types.is_builtin(typ, "print"):
             self.polymorphic_print([self.visit(arg) for arg in node.args],
                                    separator=" ", suffix="\n")
diff --git a/artiq/compiler/transforms/inferencer.py b/artiq/compiler/transforms/inferencer.py
index 445d64bce..d017af963 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/transforms/inferencer.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/transforms/inferencer.py
@@ -1074,6 +1074,45 @@ class Inferencer(algorithm.Visitor):
                             arg1.loc, None)
             else:
                 diagnose(valid_forms())
+        elif types.is_builtin(typ, "numpy.transpose"):
+            valid_forms = lambda: [
+                valid_form("transpose(x: array(elt='a, num_dims=1)) -> array(elt='a, num_dims=1)"),
+                valid_form("transpose(x: array(elt='a, num_dims=2)) -> array(elt='a, num_dims=2)")
+            ]
+
+            if len(node.args) == 1 and len(node.keywords) == 0:
+                arg, = node.args
+
+                if types.is_var(arg.type):
+                    pass  # undetermined yet
+                elif not builtins.is_array(arg.type):
+                    note = diagnostic.Diagnostic(
+                        "note", "this expression has type {type}",
+                        {"type": types.TypePrinter().name(arg.type)}, arg.loc)
+                    diag = diagnostic.Diagnostic(
+                        "error",
+                        "the argument of {builtin}() must be an array",
+                        {"builtin": typ.find().name},
+                        node.func.loc,
+                        notes=[note])
+                    self.engine.process(diag)
+                else:
+                    num_dims = arg.type.find()["num_dims"].value
+                    if num_dims not in (1, 2):
+                        note = diagnostic.Diagnostic(
+                            "note", "argument is {num_dims}-dimensional",
+                            {"num_dims": num_dims}, arg.loc)
+                        diag = diagnostic.Diagnostic(
+                            "error",
+                            "{builtin}() is currently only supported for up to "
+                            "two-dimensional arrays", {"builtin": typ.find().name},
+                            node.func.loc,
+                            notes=[note])
+                        self.engine.process(diag)
+                    else:
+                        self._unify(node.type, arg.type, node.loc, None)
+            else:
+                diagnose(valid_forms())
         elif types.is_builtin(typ, "rtio_log"):
             valid_forms = lambda: [
                 valid_form("rtio_log(channel:str, args...) -> None"),
diff --git a/artiq/test/lit/embedding/array_transpose.py b/artiq/test/lit/embedding/array_transpose.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2ab44bd7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artiq/test/lit/embedding/array_transpose.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# RUN: %python -m artiq.compiler.testbench.embedding %s
+
+from artiq.language.core import *
+from artiq.language.types import *
+import numpy as np
+
+@kernel
+def entrypoint():
+    # FIXME: This needs to be a runtime test (but numpy.* integration is
+    # currently embedding-only).
+    a = np.array([1, 2, 3])
+    b = np.transpose(a)
+    assert a.shape == b.shape
+    for i in range(len(a)):
+        assert a[i] == b[i]
+
+    c = np.array([[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6]])
+    d = np.transpose(c)
+    assert c.shape == d.shape
+    for i in range(2):
+        for j in range(3):
+            assert c[i][j] == d[j][i]