diff --git a/flang/lib/parser/dump-parse-tree.h b/flang/lib/parser/dump-parse-tree.h
index 2f9fe06f37fc..85cbb15255dc 100644
--- a/flang/lib/parser/dump-parse-tree.h
+++ b/flang/lib/parser/dump-parse-tree.h
@@ -413,6 +413,7 @@ public:
   NODE(parser, OmpAtomicUpdate)
   NODE(parser, OmpAtomicWrite)
   NODE(parser, OmpBeginBlockDirective)
+  NODE(parser, OmpBeginSectionsDirective)
   NODE(parser, OmpBlockDirective)
   NODE_ENUM(parser::OmpBlockDirective, Directive)
   NODE(parser, OmpCancelType)
@@ -471,8 +472,7 @@ public:
   NODE(parser, OmpEndCriticalDirective)
   NODE(parser, OmpEndDo)
   NODE(parser, OmpEndDoSimd)
-  NODE(parser, OmpEndParallelSections)
-  NODE(parser, OmpEndSections)
+  NODE(parser, OmpEndSectionsDirective)
   NODE(parser, OmpIfClause)
   NODE_ENUM(parser::OmpIfClause, DirectiveNameModifier)
   NODE(parser, OmpLinearClause)
@@ -508,7 +508,9 @@ public:
   NODE(parser::OmpScheduleModifier, Modifier2)
   NODE(parser, OmpScheduleModifierType)
   NODE_ENUM(parser::OmpScheduleModifierType, ModType)
-  NODE(parser, OmpSection)
+  NODE(parser, OmpSectionBlocks)
+  NODE(parser, OmpSectionsDirective)
+  NODE_ENUM(parser::OmpSectionsDirective, Directive)
   NODE(parser, OmpSimpleStandaloneDirective)
   NODE_ENUM(parser::OmpSimpleStandaloneDirective, Directive)
   NODE(parser, Only)
@@ -534,7 +536,6 @@ public:
   NODE(parser, OpenMPStandaloneConstruct)
   NODE(parser, OpenMPSectionsConstruct)
   NODE(parser, OpenMPThreadprivate)
-  NODE(parser, OpenMPParallelSectionsConstruct)
   NODE(parser, OpenStmt)
   NODE(parser, Optional)
   NODE(parser, OptionalStmt)
diff --git a/flang/lib/parser/openmp-grammar.h b/flang/lib/parser/openmp-grammar.h
index 5f541b919f6a..c6c06293cbc5 100644
--- a/flang/lib/parser/openmp-grammar.h
+++ b/flang/lib/parser/openmp-grammar.h
@@ -488,39 +488,40 @@ TYPE_PARSER(construct<OmpEndDoSimd>(maybe(construct<OmpNowait>("NOWAIT"_tok))))
 // OMP END DO [NOWAIT]
 TYPE_PARSER(construct<OmpEndDo>(maybe(construct<OmpNowait>("NOWAIT"_tok))))
 
-// OMP END SECTIONS [NOWAIT]
-TYPE_PARSER(startOmpLine >> "END SECTIONS"_tok >>
-    construct<OmpEndSections>(
-        maybe("NOWAIT" >> construct<OmpNowait>()) / endOmpLine))
+// OMP SECTIONS Directive
+TYPE_PARSER(construct<OmpSectionsDirective>(
+    first("SECTIONS" >> pure(OmpSectionsDirective::Directive::Sections),
+        "PARALLEL SECTIONS" >>
+            pure(OmpSectionsDirective::Directive::ParallelSections))))
 
-// OMP SECTIONS
-TYPE_PARSER(construct<OpenMPSectionsConstruct>(verbatim("SECTIONS"_tok),
-    Parser<OmpClauseList>{} / endOmpLine, block, Parser<OmpEndSections>{}))
+// OMP BEGIN and END SECTIONS Directive
+TYPE_PARSER(construct<OmpBeginSectionsDirective>(
+    sourced(Parser<OmpSectionsDirective>{}), Parser<OmpClauseList>{}))
+TYPE_PARSER(
+    startOmpLine >> construct<OmpEndSectionsDirective>(
+                        sourced("END"_tok >> Parser<OmpSectionsDirective>{}),
+                        Parser<OmpClauseList>{}))
 
-// OMP END PARALLEL SECTIONS
-TYPE_PARSER(construct<OmpEndParallelSections>(
-    startOmpLine >> "END PARALLEL SECTIONS"_tok / endOmpLine))
+// OMP SECTION-BLOCK
+TYPE_PARSER(maybe(startOmpLine >> "SECTION"_tok / endOmpLine) >>
+    construct<OmpSectionBlocks>(
+        nonemptySeparated(block, startOmpLine >> "SECTION"_tok / endOmpLine)))
 
-// OMP PARALLEL SECTIONS
-TYPE_PARSER(construct<OpenMPParallelSectionsConstruct>(
-    verbatim("PARALLEL SECTIONS"_tok), Parser<OmpClauseList>{} / endOmpLine,
-    block, Parser<OmpEndParallelSections>{}))
-
-TYPE_PARSER(construct<OmpSection>(verbatim("SECTION"_tok) / endOmpLine))
+// OMP SECTIONS, PARALLEL SECTIONS
+TYPE_PARSER(construct<OpenMPSectionsConstruct>(
+    Parser<OmpBeginSectionsDirective>{} / endOmpLine,
+    Parser<OmpSectionBlocks>{}, Parser<OmpEndSectionsDirective>{} / endOmpLine))
 
 TYPE_CONTEXT_PARSER("OpenMP construct"_en_US,
     startOmpLine >>
         first(construct<OpenMPConstruct>(Parser<OpenMPSectionsConstruct>{}),
-            construct<OpenMPConstruct>(
-                Parser<OpenMPParallelSectionsConstruct>{}),
             construct<OpenMPConstruct>(Parser<OpenMPLoopConstruct>{}),
             construct<OpenMPConstruct>(Parser<OpenMPBlockConstruct>{}),
             // OpenMPBlockConstruct is attempted before
             // OpenMPStandaloneConstruct to resolve !$OMP ORDERED
             construct<OpenMPConstruct>(Parser<OpenMPStandaloneConstruct>{}),
             construct<OpenMPConstruct>(Parser<OpenMPAtomicConstruct>{}),
-            construct<OpenMPConstruct>(Parser<OpenMPCriticalConstruct>{}),
-            construct<OpenMPConstruct>(Parser<OmpSection>{})))
+            construct<OpenMPConstruct>(Parser<OpenMPCriticalConstruct>{})))
 
 // END OMP Block directives
 TYPE_PARSER(
diff --git a/flang/lib/parser/parse-tree.h b/flang/lib/parser/parse-tree.h
index 4a2eaac02042..3ad4a07ea245 100644
--- a/flang/lib/parser/parse-tree.h
+++ b/flang/lib/parser/parse-tree.h
@@ -3468,17 +3468,28 @@ struct OmpClauseList {
 };
 
 // SECTIONS, PARALLEL SECTIONS
-WRAPPER_CLASS(OmpEndSections, std::optional<OmpNowait>);
-WRAPPER_CLASS(OmpSection, Verbatim);
-struct OpenMPSectionsConstruct {
-  TUPLE_CLASS_BOILERPLATE(OpenMPSectionsConstruct);
-  std::tuple<Verbatim, OmpClauseList, Block, OmpEndSections> t;
+struct OmpSectionsDirective {
+  ENUM_CLASS(Directive, Sections, ParallelSections);
+  WRAPPER_CLASS_BOILERPLATE(OmpSectionsDirective, Directive);
+  CharBlock source;
 };
 
-EMPTY_CLASS(OmpEndParallelSections);
-struct OpenMPParallelSectionsConstruct {
-  TUPLE_CLASS_BOILERPLATE(OpenMPParallelSectionsConstruct);
-  std::tuple<Verbatim, OmpClauseList, Block, OmpEndParallelSections> t;
+struct OmpBeginSectionsDirective {
+  TUPLE_CLASS_BOILERPLATE(OmpBeginSectionsDirective);
+  std::tuple<OmpSectionsDirective, OmpClauseList> t;
+};
+struct OmpEndSectionsDirective {
+  TUPLE_CLASS_BOILERPLATE(OmpEndSectionsDirective);
+  std::tuple<OmpSectionsDirective, OmpClauseList> t;
+};
+
+WRAPPER_CLASS(OmpSectionBlocks, std::list<Block>);
+
+struct OpenMPSectionsConstruct {
+  TUPLE_CLASS_BOILERPLATE(OpenMPSectionsConstruct);
+  std::tuple<OmpBeginSectionsDirective, OmpSectionBlocks,
+      OmpEndSectionsDirective>
+      t;
 };
 
 // OpenMP directive beginning or ending a block
@@ -3729,9 +3740,8 @@ struct OpenMPLoopConstruct {
 struct OpenMPConstruct {
   UNION_CLASS_BOILERPLATE(OpenMPConstruct);
   std::variant<OpenMPStandaloneConstruct, OpenMPSectionsConstruct,
-      OpenMPParallelSectionsConstruct, OpenMPLoopConstruct,
-      OpenMPBlockConstruct, OpenMPAtomicConstruct, OpenMPCriticalConstruct,
-      OmpSection>
+      OpenMPLoopConstruct, OpenMPBlockConstruct, OpenMPAtomicConstruct,
+      OpenMPCriticalConstruct>
       u;
 };
 }
diff --git a/flang/lib/parser/stmt-parser.h b/flang/lib/parser/stmt-parser.h
index 021fa7fbe871..ac9a522d2635 100644
--- a/flang/lib/parser/stmt-parser.h
+++ b/flang/lib/parser/stmt-parser.h
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ constexpr auto skipBadLine{SkipPast<'\n'>{} >> construct<ErrorRecovery>()};
 constexpr auto executionPartErrorRecovery{stmtErrorRecoveryStart >>
     !"END"_tok >> !"CONTAINS"_tok >> !"ELSE"_tok >> !"CASE"_tok >>
     !"TYPE IS"_tok >> !"CLASS"_tok >> !"RANK"_tok >>
-    !("!$OMP "_sptok >> "END"_tok) >> skipBadLine};
+    !("!$OMP "_sptok >> ("END"_tok || "SECTION"_id)) >> skipBadLine};
 
 // END statement error recovery
 constexpr auto missingOptionalName{defaulted(cut >> maybe(name))};
diff --git a/flang/lib/parser/unparse.cc b/flang/lib/parser/unparse.cc
index ff4f286fdcb6..fba66fe93178 100644
--- a/flang/lib/parser/unparse.cc
+++ b/flang/lib/parser/unparse.cc
@@ -2266,33 +2266,33 @@ public:
     Walk(x.v);
     EndOpenMP();
   }
-  void Unparse(const OmpSection &x) {
-    BeginOpenMP();
-    Word("!$OMP SECTION");
-    Put("\n");
-    EndOpenMP();
+  void Unparse(const OmpSectionsDirective &x) {
+    switch (x.v) {
+    case OmpSectionsDirective::Directive::Sections: Word("SECTIONS "); break;
+    case OmpSectionsDirective::Directive::ParallelSections:
+      Word("PARALLEL SECTIONS ");
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  void Unparse(const OmpSectionBlocks &x) {
+    for (const auto &y : x.v) {
+      BeginOpenMP();
+      Word("!$OMP SECTION");
+      Put("\n");
+      EndOpenMP();
+      Walk(y, "");  // y is Block
+    }
   }
   void Unparse(const OpenMPSectionsConstruct &x) {
     BeginOpenMP();
-    Word("!$OMP SECTIONS");
-    Walk(std::get<OmpClauseList>(x.t));
+    Word("!$OMP ");
+    Walk(std::get<OmpBeginSectionsDirective>(x.t));
     Put("\n");
     EndOpenMP();
-    Walk(std::get<Block>(x.t), "");
+    Walk(std::get<OmpSectionBlocks>(x.t));
     BeginOpenMP();
-    Word("!$OMP END SECTIONS");
-    Put("\n");
-    EndOpenMP();
-  }
-  void Unparse(const OpenMPParallelSectionsConstruct &x) {
-    BeginOpenMP();
-    Word("!$OMP PARALLEL SECTIONS");
-    Walk(std::get<OmpClauseList>(x.t));
-    Put("\n");
-    EndOpenMP();
-    Walk(std::get<Block>(x.t), "");
-    BeginOpenMP();
-    Word("!$OMP END PARALLEL SECTIONS");
+    Word("!$OMP END ");
+    Walk(std::get<OmpEndSectionsDirective>(x.t));
     Put("\n");
     EndOpenMP();
   }
diff --git a/flang/lib/semantics/check-omp-structure.cc b/flang/lib/semantics/check-omp-structure.cc
index 81e070d6f05d..bdd3f2531e99 100644
--- a/flang/lib/semantics/check-omp-structure.cc
+++ b/flang/lib/semantics/check-omp-structure.cc
@@ -212,25 +212,43 @@ void OmpStructureChecker::Leave(const parser::OpenMPBlockConstruct &) {
 }
 
 void OmpStructureChecker::Enter(const parser::OpenMPSectionsConstruct &x) {
-  const auto &dir{std::get<parser::Verbatim>(x.t)};
-  PushContext(dir.source, OmpDirective::SECTIONS);
-  OmpClauseSet allowed{OmpClause::PRIVATE, OmpClause::FIRSTPRIVATE,
-      OmpClause::LASTPRIVATE, OmpClause::REDUCTION};
-  SetContextAllowed(allowed);
+  const auto &beginSectionsDir{
+      std::get<parser::OmpBeginSectionsDirective>(x.t)};
+  const auto &beginDir{
+      std::get<parser::OmpSectionsDirective>(beginSectionsDir.t)};
+  switch (beginDir.v) {
+  // 2.7.2 sections-clause -> private-clause |
+  //                          firstprivate-clause |
+  //                          lastprivate-clause |
+  //                          reduction-clause
+  case parser::OmpSectionsDirective::Directive::Sections: {
+    PushContext(beginDir.source, OmpDirective::SECTIONS);
+    OmpClauseSet allowed{OmpClause::PRIVATE, OmpClause::FIRSTPRIVATE,
+        OmpClause::LASTPRIVATE, OmpClause::REDUCTION};
+    SetContextAllowed(allowed);
+  } break;
+  case parser::OmpSectionsDirective::Directive::ParallelSections: {
+    // TODO
+  } break;
+  }
 }
 
 void OmpStructureChecker::Leave(const parser::OpenMPSectionsConstruct &) {
   ompContext_.pop_back();
 }
 
-void OmpStructureChecker::Enter(const parser::OmpSection &x) {
-  const auto &dir{x.v};  // Verbatim
-  if (!CurrentDirectiveIsNested() ||
-      GetContext().directive != OmpDirective::SECTIONS) {
-    // if not currently nested, SECTION is orphaned
-    context_.Say(dir.source,
-        "SECTION directive must appear within "
-        "the SECTIONS construct"_err_en_US);
+void OmpStructureChecker::Enter(const parser::OmpEndSectionsDirective &x) {
+  const auto &dir{std::get<parser::OmpSectionsDirective>(x.t)};
+  ResetPartialContext(dir.source);
+  switch (dir.v) {
+    // 2.7.2 end-sections -> END SECTIONS [nowait-clause]
+  case parser::OmpSectionsDirective::Directive::Sections:
+    SetContextDirectiveEnum(OmpDirective::END_SECTIONS);
+    SetContextAllowed(OmpClauseSet{OmpClause::NOWAIT});
+    break;
+  default:
+    // no clauses are allowed
+    break;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/flang/lib/semantics/check-omp-structure.h b/flang/lib/semantics/check-omp-structure.h
index 2fcf84680058..a039b2264226 100644
--- a/flang/lib/semantics/check-omp-structure.h
+++ b/flang/lib/semantics/check-omp-structure.h
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public:
 
   void Enter(const parser::OpenMPSectionsConstruct &);
   void Leave(const parser::OpenMPSectionsConstruct &);
-  void Enter(const parser::OmpSection &);
+  void Enter(const parser::OmpEndSectionsDirective &);
 
   void Enter(const parser::OpenMPDeclareSimdConstruct &);
   void Leave(const parser::OpenMPDeclareSimdConstruct &);
diff --git a/flang/test/semantics/omp-clause-validity01.f90 b/flang/test/semantics/omp-clause-validity01.f90
index 17d942f4865a..0e7df123ed82 100644
--- a/flang/test/semantics/omp-clause-validity01.f90
+++ b/flang/test/semantics/omp-clause-validity01.f90
@@ -173,13 +173,15 @@
   !$omp end sections nowait
   !$omp end parallel
 
-  !ERROR: SECTION directive must appear within the SECTIONS construct
-  !$omp section
-  a = 0.0
   !$omp parallel
-  !ERROR: SECTION directive must appear within the SECTIONS construct
+  !$omp sections
+  a = 0.0
+  b = 1
   !$omp section
-  a = 3.14
+  c = 1
+  d = 2
+  !ERROR: NUM_THREADS clause is not allowed on the END SECTIONS directive
+  !$omp end sections num_threads(4)
   !$omp end parallel
 
 ! 2.7.3 single-clause -> private-clause |