diff --git a/parse.y b/parse.y
index d6645c5f4f..df07940d76 100644
--- a/parse.y
+++ b/parse.y
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ static void token_info_pop(struct parser_params*, const char *token);
 %type <node> args call_args opt_call_args
 %type <node> paren_args opt_paren_args args_tail opt_args_tail block_args_tail opt_block_args_tail
 %type <node> command_args aref_args opt_block_arg block_arg var_ref var_lhs
-%type <node> command_asgn mrhs superclass block_call block_command
+%type <node> command_asgn mrhs mrhs_arg superclass block_call block_command
 %type <node> f_block_optarg f_block_opt
 %type <node> f_arglist f_args f_arg f_arg_item f_optarg f_marg f_marg_list f_margs
 %type <node> assoc_list assocs assoc undef_list backref string_dvar for_var
@@ -1238,16 +1238,7 @@ stmt		: keyword_alias fitem {lex_state = EXPR_FNAME;} fitem
 			$$ = dispatch2(assign, $1, $3);
 		    %*/
 		    }
-		| mlhs '=' arg_value
-		    {
-		    /*%%%*/
-			$1->nd_value = $3;
-			$$ = $1;
-		    /*%
-			$$ = dispatch2(massign, $1, $3);
-		    %*/
-		    }
-		| mlhs '=' mrhs
+		| mlhs '=' mrhs_arg
 		    {
 		    /*%%%*/
 			$1->nd_value = $3;
@@ -2528,6 +2519,10 @@ args		: arg_value
 		    }
 		;
 
+mrhs_arg	: mrhs
+		| arg_value
+		;
+
 mrhs		: args ',' arg_value
 		    {
 		    /*%%%*/