diff --git a/src/pkg/go/parser/parser.go b/src/pkg/go/parser/parser.go
index ef610209e81..45713327df5 100644
--- a/src/pkg/go/parser/parser.go
+++ b/src/pkg/go/parser/parser.go
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ func (p *parser) makeIdentList(list *vector.Vector) []*ast.Ident {
 		if !isIdent {
 			pos := x.(ast.Expr).Pos()
 			p.errorExpected(pos, "identifier")
-			idents[i] = &ast.Ident{pos, ast.NewObj(ast.Err, pos, "")}
+			ident = &ast.Ident{pos, ast.NewObj(ast.Err, pos, "_")}
 		}
 		idents[i] = ident
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/go/parser/parser_test.go b/src/pkg/go/parser/parser_test.go
index 9e37551623f..c177b2eb816 100644
--- a/src/pkg/go/parser/parser_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/go/parser/parser_test.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ var validPrograms = []interface{}{
 	`package main; func main() { if f(T{}) {} }` + "\n",
 	`package main; func main() { _ = (<-chan int)(x) }` + "\n",
 	`package main; func main() { _ = (<-chan <-chan int)(x) }` + "\n",
+	`package main; func f(func() (func() int))` + "\n",
 }