diff --git a/src/pkg/text/template/parse/lex.go b/src/pkg/text/template/parse/lex.go
index 7705c0b88f..5674a940b1 100644
--- a/src/pkg/text/template/parse/lex.go
+++ b/src/pkg/text/template/parse/lex.go
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ Loop:
 			l.backup()
 			word := l.input[l.start:l.pos]
 			if !l.atTerminator() {
-				return l.errorf("unexpected character %+U", r)
+				return l.errorf("bad character %+U", r)
 			}
 			switch {
 			case key[word] > itemKeyword:
diff --git a/src/pkg/text/template/parse/parse.go b/src/pkg/text/template/parse/parse.go
index c0087b2785..fd8cf433fa 100644
--- a/src/pkg/text/template/parse/parse.go
+++ b/src/pkg/text/template/parse/parse.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"unicode"
+	"unicode/utf8"
 )
 
 // Tree is the representation of a single parsed template.
@@ -473,6 +474,9 @@ Loop:
 		case itemVariable:
 			cmd.append(t.useVar(token.val))
 		case itemField:
+			if !isExported(token.val) {
+				t.errorf("field %q not exported; cannot be evaluated", token.val)
+			}
 			cmd.append(newField(token.val))
 		case itemBool:
 			cmd.append(newBool(token.val == "true"))
@@ -498,6 +502,12 @@ Loop:
 	return cmd
 }
 
+// isExported reports whether the field name (which starts with a period) can be accessed.
+func isExported(fieldName string) bool {
+	r, _ := utf8.DecodeRuneInString(fieldName[1:]) // drop the period
+	return unicode.IsUpper(r)
+}
+
 // hasFunction reports if a function name exists in the Tree's maps.
 func (t *Tree) hasFunction(name string) bool {
 	for _, funcMap := range t.funcs {
diff --git a/src/pkg/text/template/parse/parse_test.go b/src/pkg/text/template/parse/parse_test.go
index b2e788238d..fb98613fe1 100644
--- a/src/pkg/text/template/parse/parse_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/text/template/parse/parse_test.go
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ var parseTests = []parseTest{
 	{"invalid punctuation", "{{printf 3, 4}}", hasError, ""},
 	{"multidecl outside range", "{{with $v, $u := 3}}{{end}}", hasError, ""},
 	{"too many decls in range", "{{range $u, $v, $w := 3}}{{end}}", hasError, ""},
+	{"unexported field", "{{.local}}", hasError, ""},
 	// Equals (and other chars) do not assignments make (yet).
 	{"bug0a", "{{$x := 0}}{{$x}}", noError, "{{$x := 0}}{{$x}}"},
 	{"bug0b", "{{$x = 1}}{{$x}}", hasError, ""},