diff --git a/Lib/test/test_grammar.py b/Lib/test/test_grammar.py
index 89e9e67..6a9e512 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_grammar.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_grammar.py
@@ -260,6 +260,10 @@
 def d32v((x,)): pass
 d32v((1,))
 
+# Check ast errors in *args and *kwargs
+check_syntax("f(*g(1=2))")
+check_syntax("f(**g(1=2))")
+
 ### lambdef: 'lambda' [varargslist] ':' test
 print 'lambdef'
 l1 = lambda : 0
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 5fdfce8..f8f8735 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 - Issue #2321: use pymalloc for unicode object string data to reduce
   memory usage in some circumstances.
 
+- Issue #2238: Some syntax errors in *args and **kwargs expressions could give
+  bogus error messages.
+
 Library
 -------
 
diff --git a/Python/ast.c b/Python/ast.c
index 3381260..c7fd8bc 100644
--- a/Python/ast.c
+++ b/Python/ast.c
@@ -1878,10 +1878,14 @@
 	}
 	else if (TYPE(ch) == STAR) {
 	    vararg = ast_for_expr(c, CHILD(n, i+1));
+	    if (!vararg)
+	        return NULL;
 	    i++;
 	}
 	else if (TYPE(ch) == DOUBLESTAR) {
 	    kwarg = ast_for_expr(c, CHILD(n, i+1));
+	    if (!kwarg)
+	        return NULL;
 	    i++;
 	}
     }