diff --git a/pkg/logql/log/pattern/ast.go b/pkg/logql/log/pattern/ast.go
index f8309d1c480b1..b4cf8e813f968 100644
--- a/pkg/logql/log/pattern/ast.go
+++ b/pkg/logql/log/pattern/ast.go
@@ -19,19 +19,18 @@ func (e expr) validate() error {
 	if !e.hasCapture() {
 		return ErrNoCapture
 	}
-	// if there is at least 2 node, verify that none are consecutive.
-	if len(e) >= 2 {
-		for i := 0; i < len(e); i = i + 2 {
-			if i+1 >= len(e) {
-				break
-			}
-			if _, ok := e[i].(capture); ok {
-				if _, ok := e[i+1].(capture); ok {
-					return fmt.Errorf("found consecutive capture: %w", ErrInvalidExpr)
-				}
+	// Consecutive captures are not allowed.
+	for i, n := range e {
+		if i+1 >= len(e) {
+			break
+		}
+		if _, ok := n.(capture); ok {
+			if _, ok := e[i+1].(capture); ok {
+				return fmt.Errorf("found consecutive capture '%s': %w", n.String()+e[i+1].String(), ErrInvalidExpr)
 			}
 		}
 	}
+
 	caps := e.captures()
 	uniq := map[string]struct{}{}
 	for _, c := range caps {
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ func (e expr) validate() error {
 func (e expr) captures() (captures []string) {
 	for _, n := range e {
 		if c, ok := n.(capture); ok && !c.isUnamed() {
-			captures = append(captures, c.String())
+			captures = append(captures, c.Name())
 		}
 	}
 	return
@@ -59,6 +58,10 @@ func (e expr) captureCount() (count int) {
 type capture string
 
 func (c capture) String() string {
+	return "<" + string(c) + ">"
+}
+
+func (c capture) Name() string {
 	return string(c)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/logql/log/pattern/pattern_test.go b/pkg/logql/log/pattern/pattern_test.go
index 6a0a760dd29fa..da0c6a180527f 100644
--- a/pkg/logql/log/pattern/pattern_test.go
+++ b/pkg/logql/log/pattern/pattern_test.go
@@ -150,9 +150,11 @@ func Test_Error(t *testing.T) {
 		{"<_>", ErrNoCapture},
 		{"foo <_> bar <_>", ErrNoCapture},
 		{"foo bar buzz", ErrNoCapture},
-		{"<f><f>", fmt.Errorf("found consecutive capture: %w", ErrInvalidExpr)},
-		{"<f> f<d><b>", fmt.Errorf("found consecutive capture: %w", ErrInvalidExpr)},
+		{"<f><f>", fmt.Errorf("found consecutive capture '<f><f>': %w", ErrInvalidExpr)},
+		{"<f> f<d><b>", fmt.Errorf("found consecutive capture '<d><b>': %w", ErrInvalidExpr)},
 		{"<f> f<f>", fmt.Errorf("duplicate capture name (f): %w", ErrInvalidExpr)},
+		{`f<f><_>`, fmt.Errorf("found consecutive capture '<f><_>': %w", ErrInvalidExpr)},
+		{`<f>f<f><_>`, fmt.Errorf("found consecutive capture '<f><_>': %w", ErrInvalidExpr)},
 	} {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			_, err := New(tt.name)