diff --git a/src/comp/syntax/parse/parser.rs b/src/comp/syntax/parse/parser.rs
index 724fcd75386..1e33e223d82 100644
--- a/src/comp/syntax/parse/parser.rs
+++ b/src/comp/syntax/parse/parser.rs
@@ -653,6 +653,11 @@ fn parse_lit(&parser p) -> ast::lit {
                 p.bump();
                 lit = ast::lit_str(p.get_str(s), ast::sk_rc);
             }
+            case (token::LPAREN) {
+                p.bump();
+                expect(p, token::RPAREN);
+                lit = ast::lit_nil;
+            }
             case (?t) { unexpected(p, t); }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/test/run-pass/nil-pattern.rs b/src/test/run-pass/nil-pattern.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..63f0787950e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/run-pass/nil-pattern.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// xfail-stage0
+fn main() {
+  auto x = ();
+  alt (x) {
+    case (()) {
+    }
+  }
+}