diff --git a/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/attributes.rs b/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/attributes.rs
index 2d04a1a410..045840059a 100644
--- a/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/attributes.rs
+++ b/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/attributes.rs
@@ -1,60 +1,84 @@
 use super::*;
 
-#[derive(PartialEq, Eq)]
-enum AttrKind {
-    Inner, Outer
-}
-
 pub(super) fn inner_attributes(p: &mut Parser) {
-    repeat(p, |p| attribute(p, AttrKind::Inner))
+    while p.at([POUND, EXCL]) {
+        attribute(p, true)
+    }
 }
 
 pub(super) fn outer_attributes(p: &mut Parser) {
-    repeat(p, |p| attribute(p, AttrKind::Outer))
-}
-
-
-fn attribute(p: &mut Parser, kind: AttrKind) -> bool {
-    if p.at(POUND) {
-        if kind == AttrKind::Inner && p.raw_lookahead(1) != EXCL {
-            return false;
-        }
-        let attr = p.start();
-        p.bump();
-        if kind == AttrKind::Inner {
-            p.bump();
-        }
-        p.expect(L_BRACK) && meta_item(p) && p.expect(R_BRACK);
-        attr.complete(p, ATTR);
-        true
-    } else {
-        false
+    while p.at(POUND) {
+        attribute(p, false)
     }
 }
 
-fn meta_item(p: &mut Parser) -> bool {
+
+fn attribute(p: &mut Parser, inner: bool){
+    let attr = p.start();
+    assert!(p.at(POUND));
+    p.bump();
+
+    if inner {
+        assert!(p.at(EXCL));
+        p.bump();
+    }
+
+    if p.expect(L_BRACK) {
+        meta_item(p);
+        p.expect(R_BRACK);
+    }
+    attr.complete(p, ATTR);
+}
+
+fn meta_item(p: &mut Parser) {
     if p.at(IDENT) {
         let meta_item = p.start();
         p.bump();
-        if p.eat(EQ) {
-            if !expressions::literal(p) {
-                p.error()
-                    .message("expected literal")
-                    .emit();
+        match p.current() {
+            EQ => {
+                p.bump();
+                if !expressions::literal(p) {
+                    p.error()
+                        .message("expected literal")
+                        .emit();
+                }
             }
-        } else if p.eat(L_PAREN) {
-            comma_list(p, R_PAREN, meta_item_inner);
-            p.expect(R_PAREN);
+            L_PAREN => meta_item_arg_list(p),
+            _ => (),
         }
         meta_item.complete(p, META_ITEM);
-        true
     } else {
-        false
+        p.error()
+            .message("expected attribute value")
+            .emit()
     }
-
 }
 
-fn meta_item_inner(p: &mut Parser) -> bool {
-    meta_item(p) || expressions::literal(p)
-}
+fn meta_item_arg_list(p: &mut Parser) {
+    assert!(p.at(L_PAREN));
+    p.bump();
+    loop {
+        match p.current() {
+            EOF | R_PAREN => break,
+            IDENT => meta_item(p),
+            c => if !expressions::literal(p) {
+                let message = "expected attribute";
 
+                if items::ITEM_FIRST.contains(c) {
+                    p.error().message(message).emit();
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                let err = p.start();
+                p.error().message(message).emit();
+                p.bump();
+                err.complete(p, ERROR);
+                continue
+            }
+        }
+        if !p.at(R_PAREN) {
+            p.expect(COMMA);
+        }
+    }
+    p.expect(R_PAREN);
+}
diff --git a/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/items.rs b/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/items.rs
index c9a8905531..12b6d06c73 100644
--- a/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/items.rs
+++ b/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/items.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,16 @@ pub(super) fn mod_contents(p: &mut Parser) {
     }
 }
 
+pub(super) const ITEM_FIRST: TokenSet = token_set![
+    EXTERN_KW,
+    MOD_KW,
+    USE_KW,
+    STRUCT_KW,
+    FN_KW,
+    PUB_KW,
+    POUND,
+];
+
 fn item(p: &mut Parser) {
     let item = p.start();
     attributes::outer_attributes(p);
diff --git a/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/mod.rs b/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/mod.rs
index d3b63c4c1d..32e4db698e 100644
--- a/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/mod.rs
+++ b/src/parser/event_parser/grammar/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use super::parser::Parser;
+use super::parser::{Parser, TokenSet};
 use {SyntaxKind};
 use tree::EOF;
 use syntax_kinds::*;
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ fn comma_list<F: Fn(&mut Parser) -> bool>(p: &mut Parser, end: SyntaxKind, f: F)
 
 
 impl<'p> Parser<'p> {
-    fn at(&self, kind: SyntaxKind) -> bool {
-        self.current() == kind
+    fn at<L: Lookahead>(&self, l: L) -> bool {
+        l.is_ahead(self)
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn expect(&mut self, kind: SyntaxKind) -> bool {
diff --git a/src/parser/event_parser/mod.rs b/src/parser/event_parser/mod.rs
index 7c81182e3e..b9ffded9dd 100644
--- a/src/parser/event_parser/mod.rs
+++ b/src/parser/event_parser/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 use {Token, SyntaxKind};
 
-mod grammar;
+#[macro_use]
 mod parser;
+mod grammar;
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub(crate) enum Event {
diff --git a/src/parser/event_parser/parser.rs b/src/parser/event_parser/parser.rs
index 2bc9dd34f5..2cbe370be4 100644
--- a/src/parser/event_parser/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser/event_parser/parser.rs
@@ -67,6 +67,29 @@ impl CompleteMarker {
     }
 }
 
+pub(crate) struct TokenSet {
+    pub tokens: &'static [SyntaxKind]
+}
+
+impl TokenSet {
+    pub fn contains(&self, kind: SyntaxKind) -> bool {
+        self.tokens.contains(&kind)
+    }
+}
+
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! token_set {
+    ($($t:ident),*) => {
+        TokenSet {
+            tokens: &[$($t),*],
+        }
+    };
+
+    ($($t:ident),* ,) => {
+        token_set!($($t),*)
+    };
+}
+
 
 pub(crate) struct Parser<'t> {
     #[allow(unused)]