diff --git a/servo/src/components/script/dom/bindings/error.rs b/servo/src/components/script/dom/bindings/error.rs
index f204dc5859a9..cef1de163fd4 100644
--- a/servo/src/components/script/dom/bindings/error.rs
+++ b/servo/src/components/script/dom/bindings/error.rs
@@ -6,10 +6,12 @@ use dom::bindings::conversions::ToJSValConvertible;
 use dom::bindings::global::GlobalRef;
 use dom::domexception::DOMException;
 
-use js::jsapi::{JSContext, JSBool};
-use js::jsapi::{JS_IsExceptionPending, JS_SetPendingException};
+use js::jsapi::{JSContext, JSBool, JSObject};
+use js::jsapi::{JS_IsExceptionPending, JS_SetPendingException, JS_ReportPendingException};
 use js::jsapi::{JS_ReportErrorNumber, JSErrorFormatString, JSEXN_TYPEERR};
+use js::jsapi::{JS_SaveFrameChain, JS_RestoreFrameChain};
 use js::glue::{ReportError};
+use js::rust::with_compartment;
 
 use libc;
 use std::ptr;
@@ -46,6 +48,20 @@ pub fn throw_dom_exception(cx: *mut JSContext, global: &GlobalRef,
     }
 }
 
+pub fn report_pending_exception(cx: *mut JSContext, obj: *mut JSObject) {
+    unsafe {
+        if JS_IsExceptionPending(cx) != 0 {
+            let saved = JS_SaveFrameChain(cx);
+            with_compartment(cx, obj, || {
+                JS_ReportPendingException(cx);
+            });
+            if saved != 0 {
+                JS_RestoreFrameChain(cx);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn throw_not_in_union(cx: *mut JSContext, names: &'static str) -> JSBool {
     assert!(unsafe { JS_IsExceptionPending(cx) } == 0);
     let message = format!("argument could not be converted to any of: {}", names);
diff --git a/servo/src/components/script/dom/eventtarget.rs b/servo/src/components/script/dom/eventtarget.rs
index 1683f2801002..75a7319ee23d 100644
--- a/servo/src/components/script/dom/eventtarget.rs
+++ b/servo/src/components/script/dom/eventtarget.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 use dom::bindings::callback::CallbackContainer;
 use dom::bindings::codegen::Bindings::EventHandlerBinding::EventHandlerNonNull;
 use dom::bindings::codegen::Bindings::EventListenerBinding::EventListener;
-use dom::bindings::error::{Fallible, InvalidState};
+use dom::bindings::error::{Fallible, InvalidState, report_pending_exception};
 use dom::bindings::js::JSRef;
 use dom::bindings::trace::Traceable;
 use dom::bindings::utils::{Reflectable, Reflector};
@@ -181,19 +181,25 @@ impl<'a> EventTargetHelpers for JSRef<'a, EventTarget> {
         static arg_names: [*c_char, ..1] = [&arg_name as *c_char];
 
         let source = source.to_utf16();
-        let handler =
-            name.with_ref(|name| {
-            url.with_ref(|url| { unsafe {
-                let fun = JS_CompileUCFunction(cx, ptr::mut_null(), name,
-                                               nargs, &arg_names as **i8 as *mut *i8, source.as_ptr(),
-                                               source.len() as size_t,
-                                               url, lineno);
-                assert!(fun.is_not_null());
-                JS_GetFunctionObject(fun)
-            }})});
-        let funobj = unsafe { JS_CloneFunctionObject(cx, handler, scope) };
+        let handler = name.with_ref(|name| {
+            url.with_ref(|url| {
+                unsafe {
+                    JS_CompileUCFunction(cx, ptr::mut_null(), name,
+                                         nargs, &arg_names as **i8 as *mut *i8,
+                                         source.as_ptr(), source.len() as size_t, url, lineno)
+                }
+            })
+        });
+        if handler.is_null() {
+            report_pending_exception(cx, self.reflector().get_jsobject());
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let funobj = unsafe {
+            JS_CloneFunctionObject(cx, JS_GetFunctionObject(handler), scope)
+        };
         assert!(funobj.is_not_null());
-        self.set_event_handler_common(ty, Some(EventHandlerNonNull::new(funobj)))
+        self.set_event_handler_common(ty, Some(EventHandlerNonNull::new(funobj)));
     }
 
     fn set_event_handler_common<T: CallbackContainer>(
diff --git a/servo/src/test/content/test_event_handler_syntax_error.html b/servo/src/test/content/test_event_handler_syntax_error.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f6c8cdffcff6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/servo/src/test/content/test_event_handler_syntax_error.html
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html>
+<head>
+  <title></title>
+  <meta charset="UTF-8">
+  <script src="harness.js"></script>
+</head>
+<body>
+  <a id="a" onclick="{">link</a>
+  <script>
+    var a = document.getElementById("a");
+    is(a.onclick, null, "invalid onclick attribute");
+
+    document.body.setAttribute("onx", "{");
+    document.body.setAttribute("ony", "}");
+
+    is(document.body.getAttribute("onx"), "{");
+    is(document.body.getAttribute("ony"), "}");
+
+    finish();
+  </script>
+</body>
+</html>