diff --git a/include/tree_sitter/parser.h b/include/tree_sitter/parser.h
index 7b59e14f..5d89efc2 100644
--- a/include/tree_sitter/parser.h
+++ b/include/tree_sitter/parser.h
@@ -28,19 +28,11 @@ typedef struct {
   bool structural : 1;
 } TSSymbolMetadata;
 
-typedef enum {
-  TSTransitionTypeMain,
-  TSTransitionTypeSeparator,
-  TSTransitionTypeError,
-} TSTransitionType;
-
 typedef struct TSLexer {
-  void (*advance)(struct TSLexer *, TSStateId, TSTransitionType);
+  void (*advance)(struct TSLexer *, TSStateId, bool);
 
   TSLength current_position;
-  TSLength token_end_position;
   TSLength token_start_position;
-  TSLength error_end_position;
 
   const char *chunk;
   size_t chunk_start;
@@ -48,10 +40,7 @@ typedef struct TSLexer {
 
   size_t lookahead_size;
   int32_t lookahead;
-  TSStateId starting_state;
   TSSymbol result_symbol;
-  bool result_follows_error;
-  int32_t first_unexpected_character;
 
   TSInput input;
   TSDebugger debugger;
@@ -94,7 +83,7 @@ struct TSLanguage {
   const unsigned short *parse_table;
   const TSParseActionEntry *parse_actions;
   const TSStateId *lex_states;
-  bool (*lex_fn)(TSLexer *, TSStateId, bool);
+  bool (*lex_fn)(TSLexer *, TSStateId);
 };
 
 /*
@@ -106,22 +95,18 @@ struct TSLanguage {
   next_state:         \
   lookahead = lexer->lookahead;
 
-#define GO_TO_STATE(state_value) \
-  {                              \
+#define ADVANCE(state_value)                                  \
+  {                                                           \
+    lexer->advance(lexer, state_value, false); \
     state = state_value;         \
     goto next_state;             \
   }
 
-#define ADVANCE(state_value)                                  \
-  {                                                           \
-    lexer->advance(lexer, state_value, TSTransitionTypeMain); \
-    GO_TO_STATE(state_value);                                 \
-  }
-
 #define SKIP(state_value)                                          \
   {                                                                \
-    lexer->advance(lexer, state_value, TSTransitionTypeSeparator); \
-    GO_TO_STATE(state_value);                                      \
+    lexer->advance(lexer, state_value, true); \
+    state = state_value;         \
+    goto next_state;             \
   }
 
 #define ACCEPT_TOKEN(symbol_value)       \
@@ -130,14 +115,7 @@ struct TSLanguage {
     return true;                         \
   }
 
-#define LEX_ERROR()                                        \
-  if (error_mode) {                                        \
-    if (state == TS_STATE_ERROR)                           \
-      lexer->advance(lexer, state, TSTransitionTypeError); \
-    GO_TO_STATE(TS_STATE_ERROR);                           \
-  } else {                                                 \
-    return false;                                          \
-  }
+#define LEX_ERROR() return false
 
 /*
  *  Parse Table Macros
diff --git a/spec/runtime/parser_spec.cc b/spec/runtime/parser_spec.cc
index ece011f3..837f3f4e 100644
--- a/spec/runtime/parser_spec.cc
+++ b/spec/runtime/parser_spec.cc
@@ -162,6 +162,15 @@ describe("Parser", [&]() {
         AssertThat(get_node_text(last), Equals("true"));
       });
     });
+
+    describe("when there is an unterminated error", [&]() {
+      it("maintains a consistent tree", [&]() {
+        ts_document_set_language(doc, get_test_language("javascript"));
+        set_text("a; /* b");
+        assert_root_node(
+          "(ERROR (program (expression_statement (identifier))) (UNEXPECTED EOF))");
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe("handling extra tokens", [&]() {
diff --git a/src/compiler/generate_code/c_code.cc b/src/compiler/generate_code/c_code.cc
index f0cfa129..7ee66d5a 100644
--- a/src/compiler/generate_code/c_code.cc
+++ b/src/compiler/generate_code/c_code.cc
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ class CCodeGenerator {
 
   void add_lex_function() {
     line(
-      "static bool ts_lex(TSLexer *lexer, TSStateId state, bool error_mode) {");
+      "static bool ts_lex(TSLexer *lexer, TSStateId state) {");
     indent([&]() {
       line("START_LEXER();");
       _switch("state", [&]() {
diff --git a/src/runtime/length.h b/src/runtime/length.h
index fbf2313b..3c16a7d8 100644
--- a/src/runtime/length.h
+++ b/src/runtime/length.h
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ static inline void ts_length_set_unknown(TSLength *self) {
   self->columns = 0;
 }
 
+static inline TSLength ts_length_min(TSLength len1, TSLength len2) {
+  return (len1.chars < len2.chars) ? len1 : len2;
+}
+
 static inline TSLength ts_length_add(TSLength len1, TSLength len2) {
   TSLength result;
   result.chars = len1.chars + len2.chars;
diff --git a/src/runtime/lexer.c b/src/runtime/lexer.c
index dd58cfc9..85b207b6 100644
--- a/src/runtime/lexer.c
+++ b/src/runtime/lexer.c
@@ -47,8 +47,7 @@ static void ts_lexer__get_lookahead(TSLexer *self) {
   LOG_LOOKAHEAD();
 }
 
-static void ts_lexer__advance(TSLexer *self, TSStateId state,
-                              TSTransitionType transition_type) {
+static void ts_lexer__advance(TSLexer *self, TSStateId state, bool skip) {
 
   if (self->chunk == empty_chunk)
     return;
@@ -56,7 +55,6 @@ static void ts_lexer__advance(TSLexer *self, TSStateId state,
   if (self->lookahead_size) {
     self->current_position.bytes += self->lookahead_size;
     self->current_position.chars++;
-
     if (self->lookahead == '\n') {
       self->current_position.rows++;
       self->current_position.columns = 0;
@@ -65,25 +63,11 @@ static void ts_lexer__advance(TSLexer *self, TSStateId state,
     }
   }
 
-  switch (transition_type) {
-    case TSTransitionTypeSeparator:
-      if (self->result_follows_error) {
-        LOG("skip_error state:%d", state);
-      } else {
-        LOG("skip_separator state:%d", state);
-        self->token_start_position = self->current_position;
-      }
-      break;
-    case TSTransitionTypeError:
-      LOG("skip_error state:%d", state);
-      self->result_follows_error = true;
-      self->error_end_position = self->current_position;
-      if (!self->first_unexpected_character)
-        self->first_unexpected_character = self->lookahead;
-      break;
-    default:
-      LOG("advance state:%d", state);
-      break;
+  if (skip) {
+    LOG("skip_separator state:%d", state);
+    self->token_start_position = self->current_position;
+  } else {
+    LOG("advance state:%d", state);
   }
 
   if (self->current_position.bytes >= self->chunk_start + self->chunk_size)
@@ -109,7 +93,6 @@ void ts_lexer_init(TSLexer *self) {
 
 static inline void ts_lexer__reset(TSLexer *self, TSLength position) {
   self->token_start_position = position;
-  self->token_end_position = position;
   self->current_position = position;
 
   self->chunk = 0;
@@ -132,34 +115,12 @@ void ts_lexer_reset(TSLexer *self, TSLength position) {
 
 void ts_lexer_start(TSLexer *self, TSStateId lex_state) {
   LOG("start_lex state:%d, pos:%lu", lex_state, self->current_position.chars);
-  LOG_LOOKAHEAD();
 
-  self->starting_state = lex_state;
   self->token_start_position = self->current_position;
-  self->result_follows_error = false;
   self->result_symbol = 0;
-  self->first_unexpected_character = 0;
 
   if (!self->chunk)
     ts_lexer__get_chunk(self);
   if (!self->lookahead_size)
     ts_lexer__get_lookahead(self);
 }
-
-void ts_lexer_finish(TSLexer *self, TSLexerResult *result) {
-  result->padding =
-    ts_length_sub(self->token_start_position, self->token_end_position);
-
-  if (self->result_follows_error) {
-    result->symbol = ts_builtin_sym_error;
-    result->size =
-      ts_length_sub(self->error_end_position, self->token_start_position);
-    result->first_unexpected_character = self->first_unexpected_character;
-    ts_lexer_reset(self, self->error_end_position);
-  } else {
-    result->symbol = self->result_symbol;
-    result->size =
-      ts_length_sub(self->current_position, self->token_start_position);
-    self->token_end_position = self->current_position;
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/runtime/lexer.h b/src/runtime/lexer.h
index 75a03762..afecb19c 100644
--- a/src/runtime/lexer.h
+++ b/src/runtime/lexer.h
@@ -7,18 +7,10 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #include "tree_sitter/parser.h"
 
-typedef struct {
-  TSSymbol symbol;
-  TSLength padding;
-  TSLength size;
-  int32_t first_unexpected_character;
-} TSLexerResult;
-
 void ts_lexer_init(TSLexer *);
 void ts_lexer_set_input(TSLexer *, TSInput);
 void ts_lexer_reset(TSLexer *, TSLength);
 void ts_lexer_start(TSLexer *, TSStateId);
-void ts_lexer_finish(TSLexer *, TSLexerResult *);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/parser.c b/src/runtime/parser.c
index 3a33b481..2df15c77 100644
--- a/src/runtime/parser.c
+++ b/src/runtime/parser.c
@@ -242,37 +242,67 @@ static bool parser__condense_stack(Parser *self) {
   return result;
 }
 
-static TSTree *parser__lex(Parser *self, TSStateId parse_state, bool error_mode) {
-  TSStateId state = self->language->lex_states[parse_state];
-  LOG("lex state:%d", state);
+static TSTree *parser__lex(Parser *self, TSStateId parse_state) {
+  TSStateId start_state = self->language->lex_states[parse_state];
+  TSStateId current_state = start_state;
+  TSLength start_position = self->lexer.current_position;
+  TSLength position = start_position;
+  LOG("lex state:%d", start_state);
 
-  TSLength position = self->lexer.current_position;
+  bool skipped_error = false;
+  int32_t first_error_character = 0;
+  TSLength error_start_position, error_end_position;
 
-  ts_lexer_start(&self->lexer, state);
-  if (!self->language->lex_fn(&self->lexer, state, error_mode)) {
-    ts_lexer_reset(&self->lexer, position);
-    ts_lexer_start(&self->lexer, state);
-    assert(self->language->lex_fn(&self->lexer, TS_STATE_ERROR, true));
+  ts_lexer_start(&self->lexer, start_state);
+
+  while (!self->language->lex_fn(&self->lexer, current_state)) {
+    if (current_state != TS_STATE_ERROR) {
+      LOG("retry_in_error_mode");
+      ts_lexer_reset(&self->lexer, position);
+      ts_lexer_start(&self->lexer, start_state);
+      current_state = TS_STATE_ERROR;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (self->lexer.lookahead == 0) {
+      self->lexer.result_symbol = ts_builtin_sym_error;
+      break;
+    }
+
+    if (self->lexer.current_position.chars == position.chars) {
+      if (!skipped_error) {
+        error_start_position = self->lexer.current_position;
+        first_error_character = self->lexer.lookahead;
+      }
+      skipped_error = true;
+      self->lexer.advance(&self->lexer, TS_STATE_ERROR, false);
+      error_end_position = self->lexer.current_position;
+    }
+
+    position = self->lexer.current_position;
   }
 
-  TSLexerResult lex_result;
-  ts_lexer_finish(&self->lexer, &lex_result);
-
   TSTree *result;
-  if (lex_result.symbol == ts_builtin_sym_error) {
-    result = ts_tree_make_error(lex_result.size, lex_result.padding,
-                                lex_result.first_unexpected_character);
+
+  if (skipped_error) {
+    error_start_position = ts_length_min(error_start_position, self->lexer.token_start_position);
+    TSLength padding = ts_length_sub(error_start_position, start_position);
+    TSLength size = ts_length_sub(error_end_position, error_start_position);
+    ts_lexer_reset(&self->lexer, error_end_position);
+    result = ts_tree_make_error(size, padding, first_error_character);
   } else {
-    result = ts_tree_make_leaf(
-      lex_result.symbol, lex_result.padding, lex_result.size,
-      ts_language_symbol_metadata(self->language, lex_result.symbol));
-    if (!result)
-      return NULL;
-    result->parse_state = parse_state;
+    TSSymbol symbol = self->lexer.result_symbol;
+    TSLength padding = ts_length_sub(self->lexer.token_start_position, start_position);
+    TSLength size = ts_length_sub(self->lexer.current_position, self->lexer.token_start_position);
+    result = ts_tree_make_leaf(symbol, padding, size,
+                               ts_language_symbol_metadata(self->language, symbol));
   }
 
-  result->first_leaf.lex_state = state;
+  if (!result)
+    return NULL;
 
+  result->parse_state = parse_state;
+  result->first_leaf.lex_state = start_state;
   return result;
 }
 
@@ -333,8 +363,7 @@ static TSTree *parser__get_lookahead(Parser *self, StackVersion version,
 
   ts_lexer_reset(&self->lexer, position);
   TSStateId parse_state = ts_stack_top_state(self->stack, version);
-  bool error_mode = parse_state == TS_STATE_ERROR;
-  return parser__lex(self, parse_state, error_mode);
+  return parser__lex(self, parse_state);
 
 error:
   return NULL;
diff --git a/src/runtime/tree.c b/src/runtime/tree.c
index 76e0b6a8..777649e3 100644
--- a/src/runtime/tree.c
+++ b/src/runtime/tree.c
@@ -369,6 +369,15 @@ void ts_tree_edit(TSTree *self, TSInputEdit edit) {
   }
 }
 
+static size_t ts_tree__write_char_to_string(char *s, size_t n, int32_t c) {
+  if (c == 0)
+    return snprintf(s, n, "EOF");
+  else if (c < 128)
+    return snprintf(s, n, "'%c'", c);
+  else
+    return snprintf(s, n, "%d", c);
+}
+
 static size_t ts_tree__write_to_string(const TSTree *self,
                                        const TSLanguage *language, char *string,
                                        size_t limit, bool is_root,
@@ -386,8 +395,8 @@ static size_t ts_tree__write_to_string(const TSTree *self,
   if (visible) {
     if (self->symbol == ts_builtin_sym_error && self->child_count == 0 &&
         self->size.chars > 0) {
-      cursor +=
-        snprintf(*writer, limit, "(UNEXPECTED '%c'", self->lookahead_char);
+      cursor += snprintf(*writer, limit, "(UNEXPECTED ");
+      cursor += ts_tree__write_char_to_string(*writer, limit, self->lookahead_char);
     } else {
       cursor += snprintf(*writer, limit, "(%s",
                          ts_language_symbol_name(language, self->symbol));
diff --git a/src/runtime/tree.h b/src/runtime/tree.h
index d147b4ed..7121b2b5 100644
--- a/src/runtime/tree.h
+++ b/src/runtime/tree.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ typedef struct TSTree {
   size_t named_child_count;
   union {
     struct TSTree **children;
-    char lookahead_char;
+    int32_t lookahead_char;
   };
 
   TSLength padding;