diff --git a/parse.y b/parse.y
index 47854476b4..244ffff795 100644
--- a/parse.y
+++ b/parse.y
@@ -4374,7 +4374,8 @@ mrhs		: args ',' arg_value
                     }
                 ;
 
-primary		: literal
+%rule %inline inline_primary
+                : literal
                 | strings
                 | xstring
                 | regexp
@@ -4382,6 +4383,9 @@ primary		: literal
                 | qwords
                 | symbols
                 | qsymbols
+                ;
+
+primary         : inline_primary
                 | var_ref
                 | backref
                 | tFID
@@ -5863,14 +5867,7 @@ p_value 	: p_primitive
                     }
                 ;
 
-p_primitive	: literal
-                | strings
-                | xstring
-                | regexp
-                | words
-                | qwords
-                | symbols
-                | qsymbols
+p_primitive     : inline_primary
                 | keyword_variable
                     {
                         if (!($$ = gettable(p, $1, &@$))) $$ = NEW_ERROR(&@$);