diff --git a/cue/parser/parser.go b/cue/parser/parser.go
index 1c4bbf14a..771b12d11 100644
--- a/cue/parser/parser.go
+++ b/cue/parser/parser.go
@@ -911,10 +911,10 @@ func (p *parser) parseField() (decl ast.Decl) {
 		if expr == nil {
 			expr = p.parseRHS()
 		}
-		if a, ok := expr.(*ast.Alias); ok {
-			p.errf(a.Pos(), `pre-v0.2 alias; use "let X = expr" instead`)
+		if _, isAlias := expr.(*ast.Alias); isAlias {
+			p.errorExpected(p.pos, "label or ':'")
 			p.consumeDeclComma()
-			return a
+			return &ast.BadDecl{From: pos, To: p.pos}
 		}
 		e := &ast.EmbedDecl{Expr: expr}
 		p.consumeDeclComma()
@@ -951,17 +951,15 @@ func (p *parser) parseField() (decl ast.Decl) {
 		fallthrough
 
 	case token.RBRACE, token.EOF:
-		if a, ok := expr.(*ast.Alias); ok {
-			p.errf(a.Pos(), `pre-v0.2 alias; use "let X = expr" instead`)
-			return a
-		}
-		switch tok {
-		case token.IDENT, token.LBRACK, token.LPAREN,
-			token.STRING, token.INTERPOLATION,
-			token.NULL, token.TRUE, token.FALSE,
-			token.FOR, token.IF, token.LET, token.IN,
-			token.TRY, token.ELSE, token.FALLBACK, token.OTHERWISE:
-			return &ast.EmbedDecl{Expr: expr}
+		if _, isAlias := expr.(*ast.Alias); !isAlias {
+			switch tok {
+			case token.IDENT, token.LBRACK, token.LPAREN,
+				token.STRING, token.INTERPOLATION,
+				token.NULL, token.TRUE, token.FALSE,
+				token.FOR, token.IF, token.LET, token.IN,
+				token.TRY, token.ELSE, token.FALLBACK, token.OTHERWISE:
+				return &ast.EmbedDecl{Expr: expr}
+			}
 		}
 		fallthrough
 
diff --git a/cue/parser/parser_test.go b/cue/parser/parser_test.go
index 63d993478..18184a5e0 100644
--- a/cue/parser/parser_test.go
+++ b/cue/parser/parser_test.go
@@ -1313,12 +1313,12 @@ bar: 2
 		{
 			desc: "pre-v0.2 alias at top level",
 			in:   `X=3`,
-			out:  "X=3\npre-v0.2 alias; use \"let X = expr\" instead",
+			out:  "<*ast.BadDecl>\nexpected label or ':', found 'EOF'",
 		},
 		{
 			desc: "pre-v0.2 alias in struct",
 			in:   `a: { X={} }`,
-			out:  "a: {X={}}\npre-v0.2 alias; use \"let X = expr\" instead",
+			out:  "a: {<*ast.BadDecl>}\nexpected label or ':', found '}'",
 		},
 		{
 			desc: "postfix alias with experiment",