diff --git a/scalameta/parsers/shared/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/parsers/ScalametaParser.scala b/scalameta/parsers/shared/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/parsers/ScalametaParser.scala
index cb0597a301..fb637fbaeb 100644
--- a/scalameta/parsers/shared/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/parsers/ScalametaParser.scala
+++ b/scalameta/parsers/shared/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/parsers/ScalametaParser.scala
@@ -4536,7 +4536,7 @@ class ScalametaParser(input: Input)(implicit dialect: Dialect) { parser =>
     while (!StatSeqEnd(token)) {
       if (statpfAdd(token)) acceptStatSepOpt()
       else if (StatSep(token)) acceptStatSep()
-      else syntaxError(errorMsg + s" ${token.name}", at = token)
+      else syntaxError(errorMsg + s" `${token.name}`", at = token)
     }
 
     if (isIndented) accept[Indentation.Outdent]
diff --git a/tests/shared/src/test/scala/scala/meta/tests/parsers/LitSuite.scala b/tests/shared/src/test/scala/scala/meta/tests/parsers/LitSuite.scala
index 7831566775..263aa7a57c 100644
--- a/tests/shared/src/test/scala/scala/meta/tests/parsers/LitSuite.scala
+++ b/tests/shared/src/test/scala/scala/meta/tests/parsers/LitSuite.scala
@@ -460,19 +460,19 @@ class LitSuite extends ParseSuite {
     ),
     (
       "0b01.2",
-      """|<input>:1: error: ; expected but double constant found
+      """|<input>:1: error: `;` expected but `double constant` found
          |0b01.2
          |    ^""".stripMargin
     ),
     (
       "1. + 2.",
-      """|<input>:1: error: ; expected but integer constant found
+      """|<input>:1: error: `;` expected but `integer constant` found
          |1. + 2.
          |     ^""".stripMargin
     ),
     (
       ".f",
-      """|<input>:1: error: illegal start of definition .
+      """|<input>:1: error: illegal start of definition `.`
          |.f
          |^""".stripMargin
     ),
diff --git a/tests/shared/src/test/scala/scala/meta/tests/parsers/dotty/NewFunctionsSuite.scala b/tests/shared/src/test/scala/scala/meta/tests/parsers/dotty/NewFunctionsSuite.scala
index 8bdceace12..0145211c48 100644
--- a/tests/shared/src/test/scala/scala/meta/tests/parsers/dotty/NewFunctionsSuite.scala
+++ b/tests/shared/src/test/scala/scala/meta/tests/parsers/dotty/NewFunctionsSuite.scala
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ class NewFunctionsSuite extends BaseDottySuite {
          |  ExecutionContext
          |?=> T
          |""".stripMargin,
-      """|error: illegal start of definition ?=>
+      """|error: illegal start of definition `?=>`
          |?=> T
          |^""".stripMargin
     )