diff --git a/src/julia-syntax.scm b/src/julia-syntax.scm
index b77fdb6ed096d..973874d4a864e 100644
--- a/src/julia-syntax.scm
+++ b/src/julia-syntax.scm
@@ -3599,7 +3599,8 @@ f(x) = yt(x)
                    (emit temp))))
 
             ((&)
-             (assert (and value (not tail)))
+             (if (or (not value) tail)
+                 (error "misplaced \"&\" expression"))
              `(& ,(compile (cadr e) break-labels value tail)))
 
             ((newvar)
diff --git a/test/parse.jl b/test/parse.jl
index 5bd36147945b4..67731babea643 100644
--- a/test/parse.jl
+++ b/test/parse.jl
@@ -1251,3 +1251,6 @@ end === (3, String)
 # issue #22868
 @test_throws ParseError parse("x@time 2")
 @test_throws ParseError parse("@ time")
+
+# issue #7479
+@test expand(Main, parse("(true &&& false)")) == Expr(:error, "misplaced \"&\" expression")