diff --git a/src/parse_util.cpp b/src/parse_util.cpp
index 6cc381efb..10efed238 100644
--- a/src/parse_util.cpp
+++ b/src/parse_util.cpp
@@ -959,7 +959,7 @@ parser_test_error_bits_t parse_util_detect_errors_in_argument(const ast::argumen
         wcstring unesc;
         if (!unescape_string(arg_src.c_str() + begin, end - begin, &unesc, UNESCAPE_SPECIAL)) {
             if (out_errors) {
-                append_syntax_error(out_errors, source_start, L"Invalid token '%ls'",
+                append_syntax_error(out_errors, source_start + begin, L"Invalid token '%ls'",
                                     arg_src.c_str());
             }
             return 1;
diff --git a/tests/checks/syntax-error-location.fish b/tests/checks/syntax-error-location.fish
index 3f2aebfdc..52ef3a3a9 100644
--- a/tests/checks/syntax-error-location.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/syntax-error-location.fish
@@ -39,6 +39,11 @@ $fish -c 'echo "unfinished "$(subshell' 2>| string replace -r '.*' '<$0>'
 # CHECK: <echo "unfinished "$(subshell>
 # CHECK: <                   ^>
 
+$fish -c 'echo "ok $(echo still ok)syntax error: \x"' 2>| string replace -r '.*' '<$0>'
+# CHECK: <fish: Invalid token '"ok $(echo still ok)syntax error: \x"'>
+# CHECK: <echo "ok $(echo still ok)syntax error: \x">
+# CHECK: <                         ^>
+
 echo "function error" >$TMPDIR/error.fish
 $fish -c "set -g fish_function_path $(string escape $TMPDIR); error"
 # CHECKERR: ~/temp/error.fish (line 1): Missing end to balance this function definition
@@ -47,6 +52,6 @@ $fish -c "set -g fish_function_path $(string escape $TMPDIR); error"
 # CHECKERR: from sourcing file ~/temp/error.fish
 # CHECKERR: source: Error while reading file '{{.*}}/error.fish'
 # CHECKERR: fish: Unknown command: error
-# CHECKERR: fish: 
+# CHECKERR: fish:
 # CHECKERR: set -g fish_function_path {{.*}}; error
 # CHECKERR: ^