diff --git a/src/comp/front/parser.rs b/src/comp/front/parser.rs
index 104c2c6f71a..34162a44f75 100644
--- a/src/comp/front/parser.rs
+++ b/src/comp/front/parser.rs
@@ -898,7 +898,6 @@ fn parse_bottom_expr(parser p) -> @ast::expr {
         ex = expand_syntax_ext(p, es.span, pth, es.node,
                                none[str]);
     } else if (eat_word(p, "fail")) {
-        p.bump();
         ex = ast::expr_fail(p.get_ann());
     } else if (eat_word(p, "log")) {
         auto e = parse_expr(p);
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/fail-simple.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/fail-simple.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a8c4934aa0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/fail-simple.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+// -*- rust -*-
+
+// error-pattern: after expression but found
+fn main() {
+  fail @ ;
+}
diff --git a/src/test/run-pass/parse-fail.rs b/src/test/run-pass/parse-fail.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4e8b410036b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/run-pass/parse-fail.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// -*- rust -*-
+
+fn dont_call_me() {
+  fail;
+  log 1;
+}
+
+fn main() {}
\ No newline at end of file