diff --git a/src/julia-syntax.scm b/src/julia-syntax.scm
index d6bc03091f37b..f1acb9c3250e1 100644
--- a/src/julia-syntax.scm
+++ b/src/julia-syntax.scm
@@ -5001,6 +5001,10 @@ f(x) = yt(x)
             ((≔ ⩴ ≕ :=)
              (error (string "unsupported assignment operator \"" (deparse (car e)) "\"")))
 
+            ;; bare :escape
+            ((escape)
+             (error (string "\"esc(...)\" used outside of macro expansion")))
+
             ((error)
              (error (cadr e)))
             (else
diff --git a/test/syntax.jl b/test/syntax.jl
index 1b630a56f84f8..c19721b5c54b3 100644
--- a/test/syntax.jl
+++ b/test/syntax.jl
@@ -3985,3 +3985,5 @@ begin
   end
 end
 @test f45494() === (0,)
+
+@test_throws "\"esc(...)\" used outside of macro expansion" eval(esc(:(const x=1)))