diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/lang/parser/GeneratedParserUtilBase.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/lang/parser/GeneratedParserUtilBase.java
index 52c45b99410d..de794e7122f8 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/lang/parser/GeneratedParserUtilBase.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/lang/parser/GeneratedParserUtilBase.java
@@ -869,9 +869,11 @@ public class GeneratedParserUtilBase {
         VARIANTS.recycle(list.get(i));
       }
       list.setSize(start);
-      lastExpectedVariantPos = -1;
-      for (Variant variant : list) {
-        if (lastExpectedVariantPos < variant.position) lastExpectedVariantPos = variant.position;
+      if (expected) {
+        lastExpectedVariantPos = -1;
+        for (Variant variant : list) {
+          if (lastExpectedVariantPos < variant.position) lastExpectedVariantPos = variant.position;
+        }
       }
     }