diff --git a/src/parse/read/expression.js b/src/parse/read/expression.js
index 110b6af4ef..904b1c5229 100644
--- a/src/parse/read/expression.js
+++ b/src/parse/read/expression.js
@@ -3,16 +3,6 @@ import { parseExpressionAt } from 'acorn';
 export default function readExpression ( parser ) {
 	const start = parser.index;
 
-	const name = parser.readUntil( /\s*}}/ );
-	if ( name && /^[a-z]+$/.test( name ) ) {
-		return {
-			type: 'Identifier',
-			start,
-			end: start + name.length,
-			name
-		};
-	}
-
 	parser.index = start;
 
 	try {
@@ -21,6 +11,15 @@ export default function readExpression ( parser ) {
 
 		return node;
 	} catch ( err ) {
+		const name = parser.readUntil( /\s*}}/ );
+		if ( name && /^[a-z]+$/.test( name ) ) {
+			return {
+				type: 'Identifier',
+				start,
+				end: start + name.length,
+				name
+			};
+		}
 		parser.acornError( err );
 	}
 }