The skeleton of the archosauriform Turfanosuchus dabanensis Young, 1973 is redescribed on the basis of further preparation. For the first time a set of derived features is recognised for diagnosing this species. Re-examination of the specimen reveals the presence of palatal teeth in the pterygoid; the ventral entrance of the internal carotid arteries posterior to the basipterygoid processes; the calcaneal tuber shaft taller than broad; the absence of flaring of the distal end of the calcaneal tuber; the calcaneal tuber shaft convex laterally and concave medially; and the tibial facet on the astragalus simply concave. These features are strongly indicative that T. dabanensis is not a suchian and not even a crurotarsan, which sharply contrasts with its recently-proposed basal suchian status.