diff --git a/examples/parsers/arithmetic.c b/examples/parsers/arithmetic.c
index 59e08361..7b835dbd 100644
--- a/examples/parsers/arithmetic.c
+++ b/examples/parsers/arithmetic.c
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ LEX_FN() {
                 ADVANCE(11);
             LEX_ERROR();
         default:
-            LEX_PANIC();
+            LEX_ERROR();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/parsers/golang.c b/examples/parsers/golang.c
index c11add1e..db0108b0 100644
--- a/examples/parsers/golang.c
+++ b/examples/parsers/golang.c
@@ -2239,7 +2239,7 @@ LEX_FN() {
                 ADVANCE(78);
             LEX_ERROR();
         default:
-            LEX_PANIC();
+            LEX_ERROR();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/parsers/javascript.c b/examples/parsers/javascript.c
index 2744164d..2c79b0eb 100644
--- a/examples/parsers/javascript.c
+++ b/examples/parsers/javascript.c
@@ -9374,7 +9374,7 @@ LEX_FN() {
                 ADVANCE(156);
             LEX_ERROR();
         default:
-            LEX_PANIC();
+            LEX_ERROR();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/parsers/json.c b/examples/parsers/json.c
index 0224d72b..ee1c7dc0 100644
--- a/examples/parsers/json.c
+++ b/examples/parsers/json.c
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ LEX_FN() {
                 ADVANCE(27);
             LEX_ERROR();
         default:
-            LEX_PANIC();
+            LEX_ERROR();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/include/tree_sitter/parser.h b/include/tree_sitter/parser.h
index e3cefe4b..9c87d4e1 100644
--- a/include/tree_sitter/parser.h
+++ b/include/tree_sitter/parser.h
@@ -125,12 +125,6 @@ struct TSLanguage {
     return NULL;        \
   }
 
-#define LEX_PANIC()                                         \
-  {                                                         \
-    DEBUG_LEX("LEX ERROR: unexpected state %d", lex_state); \
-    return NULL;                                            \
-  }
-
 #define SHIFT(to_state_value)                                              \
   {                                                                        \
     .type = TSParseActionTypeShift, .data = { .to_state = to_state_value } \
diff --git a/src/compiler/generate_code/c_code.cc b/src/compiler/generate_code/c_code.cc
index f9817693..60b2d879 100644
--- a/src/compiler/generate_code/c_code.cc
+++ b/src/compiler/generate_code/c_code.cc
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ class CCodeGenerator {
               [&]() { code_for_lex_state(lex_table.states[i]); });
       _case("ts_lex_state_error",
             [&]() { code_for_lex_state(lex_table.error_state); });
-      _default([&]() { line("LEX_PANIC();"); });
+      _default([&]() { line("LEX_ERROR();"); });
     });
   }