diff --git a/compiler/frontend/src/org/jetbrains/jet/lang/diagnostics/Errors.java b/compiler/frontend/src/org/jetbrains/jet/lang/diagnostics/Errors.java
index 997ef40c1fb..902de8fe6a4 100644
--- a/compiler/frontend/src/org/jetbrains/jet/lang/diagnostics/Errors.java
+++ b/compiler/frontend/src/org/jetbrains/jet/lang/diagnostics/Errors.java
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ public interface Errors {
                                                    JetBlockExpression blockExpression = (JetBlockExpression)bodyExpression;
                                                    TextRange lastBracketRange = blockExpression.getLastBracketRange();
                                                    if (lastBracketRange == null) {
-                                                       return markElement(element);
+                                                       return Collections.emptyList();
                                                    }
                                                    return markRange(lastBracketRange);
                                                }
diff --git a/compiler/testData/diagnostics/tests/incompleteCode/kt1955.jet b/compiler/testData/diagnostics/tests/incompleteCode/kt1955.jet
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e0821228b58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/diagnostics/tests/incompleteCode/kt1955.jet
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+//KT-1955 Half a file is red on incomplete code
+
+package b
+
+fun foo() {
+    val <!UNUSED_VARIABLE!>a<!> = 1<!SYNTAX!><!>
+
+