diff --git a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/ast/parser/Parsers.scala b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/ast/parser/Parsers.scala
index 00e60af95..7a608bc93 100644
--- a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/ast/parser/Parsers.scala
+++ b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/ast/parser/Parsers.scala
@@ -2801,6 +2801,7 @@ self =>
               ts += makePackaging(start, pkg, topstats())
             } else {
               ts += inBraces(makePackaging(start, pkg, topStatSeq()))
+              acceptStatSepOpt()
               ts ++= topStatSeq()
             }
           }
diff --git a/test/benchmarks/src/scala/collection/parallel/benchmarks/misc/Loader.scala b/test/benchmarks/src/scala/collection/parallel/benchmarks/misc/Loader.scala
index 8f1adf7bf..c7e4723e6 100644
--- a/test/benchmarks/src/scala/collection/parallel/benchmarks/misc/Loader.scala
+++ b/test/benchmarks/src/scala/collection/parallel/benchmarks/misc/Loader.scala
@@ -30,15 +30,17 @@ class Loader(val size: Int, val parallelism: Int, val runWhat: String) extends B
   
   reset
   
+  val wa = Dictionary.wordarray ++ Dictionary.wordarray ++ Dictionary.wordarray
+  
   def runseq {
     val m = Map(
       '2' -> "ABC", '3' -> "DEF", '4' -> "GHI", '5' -> "JKL", 
       '6' -> "MNO", '7' -> "PQRS", '8' -> "TUV", '9' -> "WXYZ"
     )
     val charCode: Map[Char, Char] = for ((digit, letters) <- m; letter <- letters) yield letter -> digit
-    def wordCode(word: String): String = word.toUpperCase map charCode
+    def wordCode(word: String): String = (word.toUpperCase.toList map charCode).toString
     
-    Dictionary.wordarray groupBy wordCode
+    wa groupBy wordCode
   }
   
   def runpar {
@@ -47,9 +49,9 @@ class Loader(val size: Int, val parallelism: Int, val runWhat: String) extends B
       '6' -> "MNO", '7' -> "PQRS", '8' -> "TUV", '9' -> "WXYZ"
     )
     val charCode: Map[Char, Char] = for ((digit, letters) <- m; letter <- letters) yield letter -> digit
-    def wordCode(word: String): String = word.toUpperCase map charCode
+    def wordCode(word: String): String = (word.toUpperCase.toList map charCode).toString
     
-    Dictionary.wordarray.par groupBy wordCode
+    wa.par groupBy wordCode
   }
   
   def reset = runWhat match {
diff --git a/test/files/neg/t2973.check b/test/files/neg/t2973.check
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..582fe0063
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/neg/t2973.check
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+t2973.scala:1: error: ';' expected but 'package' found.
+package foo {} package bar {}
+               ^
+one error found
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/files/neg/t2973.scala b/test/files/neg/t2973.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b9d973580
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/neg/t2973.scala
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+package foo {} package bar {}
diff --git a/test/files/pos/t2973.scala b/test/files/pos/t2973.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5dde856d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/pos/t2973.scala
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+package foo {}; package bar {}; package baz {}