diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/syntax/parser.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/syntax/parser.go
index 832f991a6d..5b7ac6cc40 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/syntax/parser.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/syntax/parser.go
@@ -758,7 +758,7 @@ func (p *parser) callStmt() *CallStmt {
 		// already progressed, no need to advance
 		cx = new(CallExpr)
 		cx.pos = x.Pos()
-		cx.Fun = p.bad()
+		cx.Fun = x // assume common error of missing parentheses (function invocation)
 	}
 
 	s.Call = cx
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/issue23586.go b/test/fixedbugs/issue23586.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c2d4c9ffb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue23586.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// errorcheck
+
+// Copyright 2018 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+// Test that we type-check deferred/go functions even
+// if they are not called (a common error). Specifically,
+// we don't want to see errors such as import or variable
+// declared but not used.
+
+package p
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"math"
+)
+
+func f() {
+	var i int
+	defer func() { fmt.Println() } // ERROR "must be function call"
+	go func() { _ = math.Sin(0) }  // ERROR "must be function call"
+	go func() { _ = i}             // ERROR "must be function call"
+}