diff --git a/builtin.c b/builtin.c
index 7c5267c6a..94ce93999 100644
--- a/builtin.c
+++ b/builtin.c
@@ -2462,7 +2462,7 @@ static int builtin_for( wchar_t **argv )
 	else if ( wcsvarname(argv[1]) )
 	{
 		sb_printf( sb_err,
-				   _( L"%ls: '%ls' is not a valid variable name\n" ),
+				   BUILTIN_FOR_ERR_NAME,
 				   argv[0],
 				   argv[1] );
 		builtin_print_help( argv[0], sb_err );
@@ -2521,12 +2521,16 @@ static int builtin_begin( wchar_t **argv )
 	return proc_get_last_status();
 }
 
+/**
+   Define the function specified by the function_data_t structure. If
+   the do_save flag is set, also write it out to file.
+*/
 static void builtin_end_add_function_def( function_data_t *d )
 {
 	/**
 	   Copy the text from the beginning of the function
-				   until the end command and use as the new definition
-				   for the specified function
+	   until the end command and use as the new definition
+	   for the specified function
 	*/
 	void *context = halloc( 0, 0 );
 
@@ -3006,7 +3010,8 @@ static int builtin_return( wchar_t **argv )
 }
 
 /**
-   Builtin for executing one of several blocks of commands depending on the value of an argument.
+   Builtin for executing one of several blocks of commands depending
+   on the value of an argument.
 */
 static int builtin_switch( wchar_t **argv )
 {
@@ -3036,7 +3041,8 @@ static int builtin_switch( wchar_t **argv )
 }
 
 /**
-   Builtin used together with the switch builtin for conditional execution
+   Builtin used together with the switch builtin for conditional
+   execution
 */
 static int builtin_case( wchar_t **argv )
 {
diff --git a/builtin.h b/builtin.h
index c8610313d..59959e337 100644
--- a/builtin.h
+++ b/builtin.h
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ enum
 */
 #define BUILTIN_FOR_ERR_COUNT _( L"%ls: Expected at least two arguments, got %d\n")
 
+#define BUILTIN_FOR_ERR_NAME _( L"%ls: '%ls' is not a valid variable name\n" )
+
 /**
    Error message when too many arguments are supplied to a builtin
 */
diff --git a/parser.c b/parser.c
index c7088ff4c..e62c28474 100644
--- a/parser.c
+++ b/parser.c
@@ -3399,7 +3399,28 @@ int parser_test( const  wchar_t * buff,
 						*/
 						if( wcscmp( cmd, L"for" ) == 0 )
 						{
-							if( arg_count == 2 )
+							if( arg_count == 1 )
+							{
+								
+								if( wcsvarname( tok_last( &tok )) )
+								{
+									
+									err = 1;
+										
+									if( out )
+									{
+										error( SYNTAX_ERROR,
+											   tok_get_pos( &tok ),
+											   BUILTIN_FOR_ERR_NAME,
+											   L"for",
+											   tok_last( &tok ) );
+										
+										print_errors( out, prefix );
+									}									
+								}
+															
+							}
+							else if( arg_count == 2 )
 							{
 								if( wcscmp( tok_last( &tok ), L"in" ) != 0 )
 								{