diff --git a/embed.fnc b/embed.fnc
index 33faff7af950..4ca06f411cbf 100644
--- a/embed.fnc
+++ b/embed.fnc
@@ -2727,7 +2727,7 @@ p	|void	|write_to_stderr|NN SV* msv
 : Used in op.c
 p	|int	|yyerror	|NN const char *const s
 p	|void	|yyquit
-pr	|void	|abort_execution|NN const char * const msg|NN const char * const name
+pr	|void	|abort_execution|NULLOK SV *msg_sv|NN const char * const name
 p	|int	|yyerror_pv	|NN const char *const s|U32 flags
 p	|int	|yyerror_pvn	|NULLOK const char *const s|STRLEN len|U32 flags
 : Used in perly.y, and by Data::Alias
diff --git a/perl.c b/perl.c
index 1cfea3f99796..343c117f44b0 100644
--- a/perl.c
+++ b/perl.c
@@ -2596,7 +2596,7 @@ S_parse_body(pTHX_ char **env, XSINIT_t xsinit)
 
     SETERRNO(0,SS_NORMAL);
     if (yyparse(GRAMPROG) || PL_parser->error_count) {
-        abort_execution("", PL_origfilename);
+        abort_execution(NULL, PL_origfilename);
     }
     CopLINE_set(PL_curcop, 0);
     SET_CURSTASH(PL_defstash);
diff --git a/perl.h b/perl.h
index 25f422365f17..49c983570752 100644
--- a/perl.h
+++ b/perl.h
@@ -8936,6 +8936,12 @@ END_EXTERN_C
 #define PERL_DIAG_WARN_SYNTAX(x)    PERL_DIAG_STR_(x)
 #define PERL_DIAG_DIE_SYNTAX(x)     PERL_DIAG_STR_(x)
 
+#define PERL_STOP_PARSING_AFTER_N_ERRORS 10
+
+#define PERL_PARSE_IS_SYNTAX_ERROR_FLAG 128
+#define PERL_PARSE_IS_SYNTAX_ERROR(f) ((f) & PERL_PARSE_IS_SYNTAX_ERROR_FLAG)
+#define PERL_PARSE_ERROR_COUNT(f)     ((f) & (PERL_PARSE_IS_SYNTAX_ERROR_FLAG-1))
+
 /*
 
    (KEEP THIS LAST IN perl.h!)
diff --git a/pod/perldelta.pod b/pod/perldelta.pod
index fe30ce1de0b8..f3a659a0a3a8 100644
--- a/pod/perldelta.pod
+++ b/pod/perldelta.pod
@@ -246,6 +246,24 @@ L<Locale '%s' is unsupported, and may crash the interpreter.message|perldiag/"Lo
 
 =item *
 
+The compiler will now stop parsing on the first syntax error it
+encounters. Historically the compiler would attempt to "skip past" the
+error and continue parsing so that it could list multiple errors. For
+things like undeclared variables under strict this makes sense. For
+syntax errors however it has been found that continuing tends to result
+in a storm of unrelated or bizarre errors that mostly just obscure the
+true error. In extreme cases it can even lead to segfaults and other
+malbehavior.
+
+Therefore we have reformed the continuation logic so that the parse will
+stop after the first seen syntax error. Semantic errors like undeclared
+variables will not stop the parse, so you may still see multiple errors
+when compiling code. However if there is a syntax error it will be the
+last error message reported by perl and all of the errors that you see
+will be something that actually needs to be fixed.
+
+=item *
+
 Error messages that output class or package names have been modified to
 output double quoted strings with various characters escaped so as to
 make the exact value clear to a reader. The exact rules on which
diff --git a/pod/perldiag.pod b/pod/perldiag.pod
index 42f041c8b471..60df38264697 100644
--- a/pod/perldiag.pod
+++ b/pod/perldiag.pod
@@ -2235,6 +2235,10 @@ Catamount. See L<perlport>.
 
 (F) The final summary message when a Perl compilation fails.
 
+=item Execution of %s aborted due to compilation errors.
+
+(F) The final summary message when a Perl compilation fails.
+
 =item exists argument is not a HASH or ARRAY element or a subroutine
 
 (F) The argument to C<exists> must be a hash or array element or a
diff --git a/pp_ctl.c b/pp_ctl.c
index c194d7b2f968..680072f0fcf7 100644
--- a/pp_ctl.c
+++ b/pp_ctl.c
@@ -1669,8 +1669,16 @@ Perl_qerror(pTHX_ SV *err)
         sv_catsv(PL_errors, err);
     else
         Perl_warn(aTHX_ "%" SVf, SVfARG(err));
-    if (PL_parser)
+
+    if (PL_parser) {
+        STRLEN len;
+        char *err_pv = SvPV(err,len);
         ++PL_parser->error_count;
+        if (memBEGINs(err_pv,len,"syntax error"))
+        {
+            PL_parser->error_count |= PERL_PARSE_IS_SYNTAX_ERROR_FLAG;
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/proto.h b/proto.h
index 52e1f462210f..d080f0d1a328 100644
--- a/proto.h
+++ b/proto.h
@@ -231,11 +231,11 @@ PERL_CALLCONV UV	Perl__utf8n_to_uvchr_msgs_helper(const U8 *s, STRLEN curlen, ST
 	assert(s)
 PERL_CALLCONV void	Perl__warn_problematic_locale(void);
 #define PERL_ARGS_ASSERT__WARN_PROBLEMATIC_LOCALE
-PERL_CALLCONV_NO_RET void	Perl_abort_execution(pTHX_ const char * const msg, const char * const name)
+PERL_CALLCONV_NO_RET void	Perl_abort_execution(pTHX_ SV *msg_sv, const char * const name)
 			__attribute__noreturn__
 			__attribute__visibility__("hidden");
 #define PERL_ARGS_ASSERT_ABORT_EXECUTION	\
-	assert(msg); assert(name)
+	assert(name)
 
 PERL_CALLCONV LOGOP*	Perl_alloc_LOGOP(pTHX_ I32 type, OP *first, OP *other)
 			__attribute__visibility__("hidden");
diff --git a/t/lib/croak/toke b/t/lib/croak/toke
index dd27874c9ad0..abcf20e225b6 100644
--- a/t/lib/croak/toke
+++ b/t/lib/croak/toke
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ EXPECT
 Scalar found where operator expected at - line 1, near "0${"
 	(Missing operator before ${?)
 syntax error at - line 1, near "0$"
-Missing right curly or square bracket at - line 1, at end of line
 Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 ########
 # NAME (Missing operator before $#{?) [perl #123737]
@@ -34,7 +33,6 @@ EXPECT
 Array length found where operator expected at - line 1, near "0$#{"
 	(Missing operator before $#{?)
 syntax error at - line 1, near "0$#"
-Missing right curly or square bracket at - line 1, at end of line
 Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 ########
 # NAME (Missing operator before @foo) [perl #123737]
@@ -52,7 +50,6 @@ EXPECT
 Array found where operator expected at - line 1, near "0@{"
 	(Missing operator before @{?)
 syntax error at - line 1, near "0@"
-Missing right curly or square bracket at - line 1, at end of line
 Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 ########
 # NAME Unterminated here-doc in string eval
@@ -483,8 +480,6 @@ Use of bare << to mean <<"" is forbidden at - line 1.
 EXPECT
 Bareword found where operator expected at - line 1, near "1e"
 	(Missing operator before e?)
-Number found where operator expected at - line 1, near "--5"
-	(Missing operator before 5?)
 syntax error at - line 1, near "1e"
 Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 ########
@@ -573,9 +568,6 @@ Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 EXPECT
 Number found where operator expected at - line 1, near "0 0x"
 	(Missing operator before  0x?)
-Array found where operator expected at - line 1, near "0x@
-;"
-	(Missing operator before ;?)
 No digits found for hexadecimal literal at - line 1, near "0 0x@"
 syntax error at - line 1, near "0 0x"
 Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
diff --git a/t/lib/subs/subs b/t/lib/subs/subs
index e0bb16eadb9c..d6c416a1c06c 100644
--- a/t/lib/subs/subs
+++ b/t/lib/subs/subs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ EXPECT
 Number found where operator expected at - line 3, near "Fred 1"
 	(Do you need to predeclare Fred?)
 syntax error at - line 3, near "Fred 1"
-BEGIN not safe after errors--compilation aborted at - line 4.
+Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 ########
 
 # AOK
@@ -104,4 +104,4 @@ EXPECT
 Number found where operator expected at - line 5, near "ふれど 1"
 	(Do you need to predeclare ふれど?)
 syntax error at - line 5, near "ふれど 1"
-BEGIN not safe after errors--compilation aborted at - line 6.
+Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
diff --git a/t/lib/warnings/7fatal b/t/lib/warnings/7fatal
index 40c649f249a7..ebf6a25fa018 100644
--- a/t/lib/warnings/7fatal
+++ b/t/lib/warnings/7fatal
@@ -545,8 +545,6 @@ if (1 {
 }
 EXPECT
 syntax error at - line 4, near "1 {"
-"my" variable $x masks earlier declaration in same statement at - line 6.
-syntax error at - line 7, near "}"
 Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 ########
 
diff --git a/t/lib/warnings/toke b/t/lib/warnings/toke
index 39f92b022de1..53cd22645c39 100644
--- a/t/lib/warnings/toke
+++ b/t/lib/warnings/toke
@@ -261,13 +261,8 @@ Reversed *= operator at - line 5.
 Reversed %= operator at - line 6.
 Reversed &= operator at - line 7.
 Reversed .= operator at - line 8.
-Reversed ^= operator at - line 9.
-Reversed |= operator at - line 10.
-Reversed <= operator at - line 11.
 syntax error at - line 8, near "=."
-syntax error at - line 9, near "=^"
-syntax error at - line 10, near "=|"
-Unterminated <> operator at - line 11.
+Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 ########
 # toke.c
 no warnings 'syntax' ;
@@ -283,9 +278,7 @@ $a =< 2 ;
 $a =/ 2 ;
 EXPECT
 syntax error at - line 8, near "=."
-syntax error at - line 9, near "=^"
-syntax error at - line 10, near "=|"
-Unterminated <> operator at - line 11.
+Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 ########
 # toke.c
 use warnings 'syntax' ;
diff --git a/t/op/heredoc.t b/t/op/heredoc.t
index 0a7bb06b0ff7..6e7e895def7d 100644
--- a/t/op/heredoc.t
+++ b/t/op/heredoc.t
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ BEGIN {
 }
 
 use strict;
-plan(tests => 137);
+plan(tests => 138);
 
 # heredoc without newline (#65838)
 {
@@ -233,3 +233,13 @@ HEREDOC
         );
     }
 }
+fresh_perl_like(
+q#<<E1;
+${sub{b{]]]{} @{[ <<E2 ]}
+E2
+E1
+#,
+    qr/^syntax error/,
+    {},
+    "GH Issue #17397 - Syntax error inside of here doc causes segfault"
+);
diff --git a/t/op/lex.t b/t/op/lex.t
index 59be493768dd..11a056af2ece 100644
--- a/t/op/lex.t
+++ b/t/op/lex.t
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ SKIP: {
 Bareword found where operator expected at - line 1, near ""ab}"ax"
 	(Missing operator before ax?)
 syntax error at - line 1, near ""ab}"ax"
-Unrecognized character \\x8A; marked by <-- HERE after ab}"ax;&\0z<-- HERE near column 12 at - line 1.
+Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 gibberish
        { stderr => 1 },
       'gibberish containing &\0z - used to crash [perl #123753]'
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ gibberish
 Bareword found where operator expected at - line 1, near ""ab}"ax"
 	(Missing operator before ax?)
 syntax error at - line 1, near ""ab}"ax"
-Unrecognized character \\x8A; marked by <-- HERE after }"ax;&{+z}<-- HERE near column 14 at - line 1.
+Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 gibberish
        { stderr => 1 },
       'gibberish containing &{+z} - used to crash [perl #123753]'
diff --git a/t/op/sub.t b/t/op/sub.t
index 11d7147e5df7..09f5609b499a 100644
--- a/t/op/sub.t
+++ b/t/op/sub.t
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ BEGIN {
     set_up_inc('../lib');
 }
 
-plan(tests => 62);
+plan(tests => 63);
 
 sub empty_sub {}
 
@@ -426,3 +426,10 @@ eval '
    CORE::state sub b; sub d { sub b {} sub d }
  ';
 eval '()=%e; sub e { sub e; eval q|$x| } e;';
+
+fresh_perl_like(
+    q#<s,,$0[sub{m]]]],}>0,shift#,
+    qr/^syntax error/,
+    {},
+    "GH Issue #16944 - Syntax error with sub and shift causes segfault"
+);
diff --git a/t/op/tie.t b/t/op/tie.t
index 9cc1599331a6..673ec49dce7b 100644
--- a/t/op/tie.t
+++ b/t/op/tie.t
@@ -731,10 +731,10 @@ $foo{'exit'};
 print "overshot main\n"; # shouldn't reach here
 
 EXPECT
-eval: s0=EVAL-BD-BS-E1-S1-E2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-R
-eval: s1=EVAL-BD-BS-E1-S1-E2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-R
-eval: s2=EVAL-BD-BS-E1-S1-E2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-R
-eval: s3=EVAL-BD-BS-E1-S1-E2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-S2-R
+eval: s0=EVAL-BD-BS-E1-S1-E2-S2-R
+eval: s1=EVAL-BD-BS-E1-S1-E2-S2-R
+eval: s2=EVAL-BD-BS-E1-S1-E2-S2-R
+eval: s3=EVAL-BD-BS-E1-S1-E2-S2-R
 require: s0=REQUIRE-0-ERQ-ENDRQ-1-ERQ-ENDRQ-2-ERQ-ENDRQ-3-ERQ-ENDRQ-R
 require: s1=REQUIRE-0-RQ
 require: s2=REQUIRE-0-ERQ-ENDRQ-1-ERQ-ENDRQ-2-ERQ-ENDRQ-3-ERQ-ENDRQ-R
diff --git a/t/run/fresh_perl.t b/t/run/fresh_perl.t
index 88a64ad58391..df7cebb80c74 100644
--- a/t/run/fresh_perl.t
+++ b/t/run/fresh_perl.t
@@ -817,8 +817,6 @@ meow {
 };
 EXPECT
 syntax error at - line 12, near "used"
-syntax error at - line 12, near "used}"
-Unmatched right curly bracket at - line 14, at end of line
 Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
 ######## [perl #112312] crash on syntax error - another test
 # SKIP: !defined &DynaLoader::boot_DynaLoader # miniperl
@@ -849,6 +847,4 @@ sub testo {
 
 EXPECT
 syntax error at - line 15, near "used"
-syntax error at - line 15, near "used}"
-Unmatched right curly bracket at - line 17, at end of line
 Execution of - aborted due to compilation errors.
diff --git a/toke.c b/toke.c
index feffec22f891..607ce0372a7a 100644
--- a/toke.c
+++ b/toke.c
@@ -12521,15 +12521,24 @@ S_yywarn(pTHX_ const char *const s, U32 flags)
 }
 
 void
-Perl_abort_execution(pTHX_ const char * const msg, const char * const name)
+Perl_abort_execution(pTHX_ SV* msg_sv, const char * const name)
 {
     PERL_ARGS_ASSERT_ABORT_EXECUTION;
 
-    if (PL_minus_c)
-        Perl_croak(aTHX_ "%s%s had compilation errors.\n", msg, name);
-    else {
-        Perl_croak(aTHX_
-                "%sExecution of %s aborted due to compilation errors.\n", msg, name);
+    if (msg_sv) {
+        if (PL_minus_c)
+            Perl_croak(aTHX_ "%" SVf "%s had compilation errors.\n", SVfARG(msg_sv), name);
+        else {
+            Perl_croak(aTHX_
+                    "%" SVf "Execution of %s aborted due to compilation errors.\n", SVfARG(msg_sv), name);
+        }
+    } else {
+        if (PL_minus_c)
+            Perl_croak(aTHX_ "%s had compilation errors.\n", name);
+        else {
+            Perl_croak(aTHX_
+                    "Execution of %s aborted due to compilation errors.\n", name);
+        }
     }
     NOT_REACHED; /* NOTREACHED */
 }
@@ -12644,22 +12653,39 @@ Perl_yyerror_pvn(pTHX_ const char *const s, STRLEN len, U32 flags)
             qerror(msg);
         }
     }
-    if (s == NULL || PL_error_count >= 10) {
-        const char * msg = "";
+    if ( s == NULL ||
+         PL_error_count >= PERL_STOP_PARSING_AFTER_N_ERRORS
+    ) {
         const char * const name = OutCopFILE(PL_curcop);
+        SV * errsv = NULL;
+        U8 raw_error_count = PERL_PARSE_ERROR_COUNT(PL_error_count);
+        bool syntax_error = PERL_PARSE_IS_SYNTAX_ERROR(PL_error_count);
 
         if (PL_in_eval) {
-            SV * errsv = ERRSV;
-            if (SvCUR(errsv)) {
-                msg = Perl_form(aTHX_ "%" SVf, SVfARG(errsv));
-            }
+            errsv = ERRSV;
         }
 
         if (s == NULL) {
-            abort_execution(msg, name);
+            abort_execution(errsv, name);
         }
-        else {
-            Perl_croak(aTHX_ "%s%s has too many errors.\n", msg, name);
+        else
+        if (raw_error_count >= PERL_STOP_PARSING_AFTER_N_ERRORS) {
+            if (errsv) {
+                Perl_croak(aTHX_ "%" SVf "%s has too many errors.\n",
+                    SVfARG(errsv), name);
+            } else {
+                Perl_croak(aTHX_ "%s has too many errors.\n", name);
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        /* if (syntax_error) - implied */
+        {
+            assert(syntax_error);
+            if (errsv) {
+                Perl_croak_sv(aTHX_ errsv);
+            } else {
+                abort_execution(errsv, name);
+            }
         }
     }
     PL_in_my = 0;