diff --git a/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs b/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
index f1139c6c..3bfa4b68 100644
--- a/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
+++ b/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
@@ -118,6 +118,18 @@ fn test_query_errors_on_invalid_syntax() {
             ]
             .join("\n")
         );
+
+        // tree-sitter/tree-sitter/issues/968
+        assert_eq!(
+            Query::new(get_language("c"), r#"(parameter_list [ ")" @foo)"#)
+                .unwrap_err()
+                .message,
+            [
+                r#"(parameter_list [ ")" @foo)"#,
+                r#"                          ^"#
+            ]
+            .join("\n")
+        );
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/src/query.c b/lib/src/query.c
index c3497d8d..cc127079 100644
--- a/lib/src/query.c
+++ b/lib/src/query.c
@@ -1541,6 +1541,7 @@ static TSQueryError ts_query__parse_pattern(
         stream_advance(stream);
         break;
       } else if (e) {
+        if (e == PARENT_DONE) e = TSQueryErrorSyntax;
         array_delete(&branch_step_indices);
         return e;
       }