diff --git a/src/expr.c b/src/expr.c
index adf99e7b..1db1dd0b 100644
--- a/src/expr.c
+++ b/src/expr.c
@@ -1825,8 +1825,8 @@ static expr_node * parse_function_call(char const **e, int *r, Var *locals, int
                 return free_expr_tree(node);
             }
             if (TOKEN_IS(")")) {
-                Eprint("%s `)'", ErrMsg[E_ILLEGAL_CHAR]);
-                *r = E_ILLEGAL_CHAR;
+                Eprint("%s `)'", ErrMsg[E_PARSE_ERR]);
+                *r = E_PARSE_ERR;
                 return free_expr_tree(node);
             }
         }
@@ -2461,7 +2461,7 @@ static expr_node *parse_expression_aux(char const **e, int *r, Var *locals, int
 expr_node *parse_expression(char const **e, int *r, Var *locals)
 {
     char const *orig = *e;
-
+    char const *o2 = *e;
     if (ExpressionEvaluationDisabled) {
         *r = E_EXPR_DISABLED;
         return NULL;
@@ -2486,6 +2486,23 @@ expr_node *parse_expression(char const **e, int *r, Var *locals)
             fprintf(ErrFp, "  Unparsed: %s\n", *e);
         }
     }
+    if (*r == E_EXPECT_COMMA     ||
+        *r == E_PARSE_ERR        ||
+        *r == E_MISS_RIGHT_PAREN ||
+        *r == E_EXPECTING_EOL    ||
+        *r == E_ILLEGAL_CHAR) {
+        orig = o2;
+        while (*orig) {
+            fprintf(ErrFp, "%c", *orig++);
+        }
+        fprintf(ErrFp, "\n");
+        orig = o2;
+        while ((orig < *e) && *orig) {
+            orig++;
+            fprintf(ErrFp, " ");
+        }
+        fprintf(ErrFp, "^-- here\n");
+    }
     return node;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/var.c b/src/var.c
index 374864f1..38a7b5c3 100644
--- a/src/var.c
+++ b/src/var.c
@@ -567,6 +567,11 @@ int DoSet (Parser *p)
 	ParseNonSpaceChar(p, &r, 0);
     }
 
+    if (p->isnested) {
+        Eprint("%s", "Do not use [] around expression in SET command");
+        return E_CANTNEST_FDEF;
+    }
+
     r = EvaluateExpr(p, &v);
     if (r) {
 	DBufFree(&buf);