diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/syntax/parser.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/syntax/parser.go
index e4aaa12ae5..d7f542e609 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/syntax/parser.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/syntax/parser.go
@@ -1703,8 +1703,8 @@ func (p *parser) header(keyword token) (init SimpleStmt, cond Expr, post SimpleS
 
 	if p.tok != _Semi {
 		// accept potential varDecl but complain
-		if keyword == _For && p.got(_Var) {
-			p.syntax_error("var declaration not allowed in for initializer")
+		if p.got(_Var) {
+			p.syntax_error(fmt.Sprintf("var declaration not allowed in %s initializer", keyword.String()))
 		}
 		init = p.simpleStmt(nil, keyword == _For)
 		// If we have a range clause, we are done (can only happen for keyword == _For).
diff --git a/test/syntax/forvar.go b/test/syntax/forvar.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 3a70d9cfbe..0000000000
--- a/test/syntax/forvar.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-// errorcheck
-
-// Copyright 2010 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
-// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
-// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
-
-package main
-
-func main() {
-	var x int // avoid undefined: x error below with recursive-descent parser
-	for var x = 0; x < 10; x++ {	// ERROR "var declaration not allowed in for initializer"
diff --git a/test/syntax/initvar.go b/test/syntax/initvar.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..74623f587c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/syntax/initvar.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+// errorcheck
+
+// Copyright 2010 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package main
+
+func main() {
+	if var x = 0; x < 10 {}    // ERROR "var declaration not allowed in if initializer"
+
+	switch var x = 0; x {}     // ERROR "var declaration not allowed in switch initializer"
+
+	for var x = 0; x < 10; {}  // ERROR "var declaration not allowed in for initializer"
+}