diff --git a/src/syntax/lexer.rs b/src/syntax/lexer.rs
index ee73a595..d0e5c9bd 100644
--- a/src/syntax/lexer.rs
+++ b/src/syntax/lexer.rs
@@ -80,12 +80,6 @@ impl Lexer<'_> {
         self.error = Some((message.into(), ErrorPos::Full));
         SyntaxKind::Error
     }
-
-    /// Construct a positioned syntax error.
-    fn error_at_end(&mut self, message: impl Into<EcoString>) -> SyntaxKind {
-        self.error = Some((message.into(), ErrorPos::End));
-        SyntaxKind::Error
-    }
 }
 
 /// Shared.
@@ -209,7 +203,7 @@ impl Lexer<'_> {
         if self.s.eat_if("u{") {
             let hex = self.s.eat_while(char::is_ascii_alphanumeric);
             if !self.s.eat_if('}') {
-                return self.error_at_end("expected closing brace");
+                return self.error("unclosed unicode escape sequence");
             }
 
             if u32::from_str_radix(hex, 16)
@@ -251,20 +245,15 @@ impl Lexer<'_> {
         }
 
         if found != backticks {
-            let remaining = backticks - found;
-            let noun = if remaining == 1 { "backtick" } else { "backticks" };
-            return self.error_at_end(if found == 0 {
-                eco_format!("expected {} {}", remaining, noun)
-            } else {
-                eco_format!("expected {} more {}", remaining, noun)
-            });
+            return self.error("unclosed raw text");
         }
 
         SyntaxKind::Raw
     }
 
     fn link(&mut self) -> SyntaxKind {
-        let mut bracket_stack = Vec::new();
+        let mut brackets = Vec::new();
+
         #[rustfmt::skip]
         self.s.eat_while(|c: char| {
             match c {
@@ -275,20 +264,24 @@ impl Lexer<'_> {
                 | ',' | '-' | '.' | '/' | ':' | ';' | '='
                 | '?' | '@' | '_' | '~' | '\'' => true,
                 '[' => {
-                    bracket_stack.push(SyntaxKind::LeftBracket);
+                    brackets.push(SyntaxKind::LeftBracket);
                     true
                 }
                 '(' => {
-                    bracket_stack.push(SyntaxKind::LeftParen);
+                    brackets.push(SyntaxKind::LeftParen);
                     true
                 }
-                ']' => bracket_stack.pop() == Some(SyntaxKind::LeftBracket),
-                ')' => bracket_stack.pop() == Some(SyntaxKind::LeftParen),
+                ']' => brackets.pop() == Some(SyntaxKind::LeftBracket),
+                ')' => brackets.pop() == Some(SyntaxKind::LeftParen),
                 _ => false,
             }
         });
-        if !bracket_stack.is_empty() {
-            return self.error_at_end("expected closing bracket in link");
+
+        if !brackets.is_empty() {
+            return self.error(
+                "automatic links cannot contain unbalanced brackets, \
+                 use the `link` function instead",
+            );
         }
 
         // Don't include the trailing characters likely to be part of text.
@@ -328,7 +321,7 @@ impl Lexer<'_> {
         }
 
         if !self.s.eat_if('>') {
-            return self.error_at_end("expected closing angle bracket");
+            return self.error("unclosed label");
         }
 
         SyntaxKind::Label
@@ -620,7 +613,7 @@ impl Lexer<'_> {
         });
 
         if !self.s.eat_if('"') {
-            return self.error_at_end("expected quote");
+            return self.error("unclosed string");
         }
 
         SyntaxKind::Str
diff --git a/src/syntax/parser.rs b/src/syntax/parser.rs
index c7dbc936..3b82ce16 100644
--- a/src/syntax/parser.rs
+++ b/src/syntax/parser.rs
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ pub(super) fn reparse_markup(
         match p.current() {
             SyntaxKind::LeftBracket => *nesting += 1,
             SyntaxKind::RightBracket if *nesting > 0 => *nesting -= 1,
-            _ if stop(p.current) => break,
+            _ if stop(p.current()) => break,
             _ => {}
         }
 
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ fn strong(p: &mut Parser) {
             || p.at(SyntaxKind::Parbreak)
             || p.at(SyntaxKind::RightBracket)
     });
-    p.expect(SyntaxKind::Star);
+    p.expect_closing_delimiter(m, SyntaxKind::Star);
     p.wrap(m, SyntaxKind::Strong);
 }
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ fn emph(p: &mut Parser) {
             || p.at(SyntaxKind::Parbreak)
             || p.at(SyntaxKind::RightBracket)
     });
-    p.expect(SyntaxKind::Underscore);
+    p.expect_closing_delimiter(m, SyntaxKind::Underscore);
     p.wrap(m, SyntaxKind::Emph);
 }
 
@@ -220,15 +220,15 @@ fn equation(p: &mut Parser) {
     let m = p.marker();
     p.enter(LexMode::Math);
     p.assert(SyntaxKind::Dollar);
-    math(p, |kind| kind == SyntaxKind::Dollar);
-    p.expect(SyntaxKind::Dollar);
+    math(p, |p| p.at(SyntaxKind::Dollar));
+    p.expect_closing_delimiter(m, SyntaxKind::Dollar);
     p.exit();
     p.wrap(m, SyntaxKind::Equation);
 }
 
-fn math(p: &mut Parser, mut stop: impl FnMut(SyntaxKind) -> bool) {
+fn math(p: &mut Parser, mut stop: impl FnMut(&Parser) -> bool) {
     let m = p.marker();
-    while !p.eof() && !stop(p.current()) {
+    while !p.eof() && !stop(p) {
         let prev = p.prev_end();
         math_expr(p);
         if !p.progress(prev) {
@@ -514,22 +514,18 @@ fn maybe_wrap_in_math(p: &mut Parser, arg: Marker, named: Option<Marker>) {
     }
 }
 
-fn code(p: &mut Parser, stop: impl FnMut(SyntaxKind) -> bool) {
+fn code(p: &mut Parser, stop: impl FnMut(&Parser) -> bool) {
     let m = p.marker();
     code_exprs(p, stop);
     p.wrap(m, SyntaxKind::Code);
 }
 
-fn code_exprs(p: &mut Parser, mut stop: impl FnMut(SyntaxKind) -> bool) {
-    while !p.eof() && !stop(p.current()) {
+fn code_exprs(p: &mut Parser, mut stop: impl FnMut(&Parser) -> bool) {
+    while !p.eof() && !stop(p) {
         p.stop_at_newline(true);
         let prev = p.prev_end();
         code_expr(p);
-        if p.progress(prev)
-            && !p.eof()
-            && !stop(p.current())
-            && !p.eat_if(SyntaxKind::Semicolon)
-        {
+        if p.progress(prev) && !p.eof() && !stop(p) && !p.eat_if(SyntaxKind::Semicolon) {
             p.expected("semicolon or line break");
         }
         p.unstop();
@@ -725,8 +721,12 @@ fn code_block(p: &mut Parser) {
     p.enter(LexMode::Code);
     p.stop_at_newline(false);
     p.assert(SyntaxKind::LeftBrace);
-    code(p, |kind| kind == SyntaxKind::RightBrace);
-    p.expect(SyntaxKind::RightBrace);
+    code(p, |p| {
+        p.at(SyntaxKind::RightBrace)
+            || p.at(SyntaxKind::RightBracket)
+            || p.at(SyntaxKind::RightParen)
+    });
+    p.expect_closing_delimiter(m, SyntaxKind::RightBrace);
     p.exit();
     p.unstop();
     p.wrap(m, SyntaxKind::CodeBlock);
@@ -737,7 +737,7 @@ fn content_block(p: &mut Parser) {
     p.enter(LexMode::Markup);
     p.assert(SyntaxKind::LeftBracket);
     markup(p, true, 0, |p| p.at(SyntaxKind::RightBracket));
-    p.expect(SyntaxKind::RightBracket);
+    p.expect_closing_delimiter(m, SyntaxKind::RightBracket);
     p.exit();
     p.wrap(m, SyntaxKind::ContentBlock);
 }
@@ -800,6 +800,8 @@ fn invalidate_destructuring(p: &mut Parser, m: Marker) {
 
 fn collection(p: &mut Parser, keyed: bool) -> SyntaxKind {
     p.stop_at_newline(false);
+
+    let m = p.marker();
     p.assert(SyntaxKind::LeftParen);
 
     let mut count = 0;
@@ -845,7 +847,7 @@ fn collection(p: &mut Parser, keyed: bool) -> SyntaxKind {
         }
     }
 
-    p.expect(SyntaxKind::RightParen);
+    p.expect_closing_delimiter(m, SyntaxKind::RightParen);
     p.unstop();
 
     if parenthesized && count == 1 {
@@ -1586,6 +1588,12 @@ impl<'s> Parser<'s> {
         at
     }
 
+    fn expect_closing_delimiter(&mut self, open: Marker, kind: SyntaxKind) {
+        if !self.eat_if(kind) {
+            self.nodes[open.0].convert_to_error("unclosed delimiter");
+        }
+    }
+
     fn expected(&mut self, thing: &str) {
         self.unskip();
         if self
diff --git a/src/syntax/reparser.rs b/src/syntax/reparser.rs
index c744eeb2..9e2b0a1b 100644
--- a/src/syntax/reparser.rs
+++ b/src/syntax/reparser.rs
@@ -306,15 +306,15 @@ mod tests {
         test("Hello #{ x + 1 }!", 9..10, "abc", true);
         test("A#{}!", 3..3, "\"", false);
         test("#{ [= x] }!", 5..5, "=", true);
-        test("#[[]]", 3..3, "\\", false);
-        test("#[[ab]]", 4..5, "\\", false);
+        test("#[[]]", 3..3, "\\", true);
+        test("#[[ab]]", 4..5, "\\", true);
         test("#{}}", 2..2, "{", false);
         test("A: #[BC]", 6..6, "{", true);
-        test("A: #[BC]", 6..6, "#{", false);
+        test("A: #[BC]", 6..6, "#{", true);
         test("A: #[BC]", 6..6, "#{}", true);
         test("#{\"ab\"}A", 5..5, "c", true);
         test("#{\"ab\"}A", 5..6, "c", false);
-        test("a#[]b", 3..3, "#{", false);
+        test("a#[]b", 3..3, "#{", true);
         test("a#{call(); abc}b", 8..8, "[]", true);
         test("a #while x {\n g(x) \n}  b", 12..12, "//", true);
         test("a#[]b", 3..3, "[hey]", true);
diff --git a/tests/typ/compiler/array.typ b/tests/typ/compiler/array.typ
index 59e9f70b..a96a800f 100644
--- a/tests/typ/compiler/array.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/compiler/array.typ
@@ -256,10 +256,10 @@
 #(1, 2, 3).at(-4)
 
 ---
-// Error: 4 expected closing paren
+// Error: 3-4 unclosed delimiter
 #{(}
 
-// Error: 3-4 unexpected closing paren
+// Error: 2-3 unclosed delimiter
 #{)}
 
 // Error: 4-6 unexpected end of block comment
diff --git a/tests/typ/compiler/block.typ b/tests/typ/compiler/block.typ
index 81c719da..386994e9 100644
--- a/tests/typ/compiler/block.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/compiler/block.typ
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@
 }
 
 ---
-// Error: 3 expected closing brace
+// Error: 2-3 unclosed delimiter
 #{
 
 ---
diff --git a/tests/typ/compiler/call.typ b/tests/typ/compiler/call.typ
index 04eb2906..77e17b50 100644
--- a/tests/typ/compiler/call.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/compiler/call.typ
@@ -94,13 +94,14 @@
 #func((x):1)
 
 ---
-// Error: 2:1 expected closing bracket
+// Error: 6-7 unclosed delimiter
 #func[`a]`
 
 ---
-// Error: 8 expected closing paren
+// Error: 7-8 unclosed delimiter
 #{func(}
 
 ---
-// Error: 2:1 expected quote
+// Error: 6-7 unclosed delimiter
+// Error: 1:7-2:1 unclosed string
 #func("]
diff --git a/tests/typ/compiler/let.typ b/tests/typ/compiler/let.typ
index d9940a8c..825f9e7b 100644
--- a/tests/typ/compiler/let.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/compiler/let.typ
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ Three
 
 // Terminated by semicolon even though we are in a paren group.
 // Error: 18 expected expression
-// Error: 18 expected closing paren
+// Error: 11-12 unclosed delimiter
 #let v5 = (1, 2 + ; Five
 
 // Error: 9-13 expected identifier, found boolean
diff --git a/tests/typ/compiler/ops-prec.typ b/tests/typ/compiler/ops-prec.typ
index b90030f8..d3fe01b5 100644
--- a/tests/typ/compiler/ops-prec.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/compiler/ops-prec.typ
@@ -32,5 +32,5 @@
 #test((1), 1)
 #test((1+2)*-3, -9)
 
-// Error: 14 expected closing paren
+// Error: 8-9 unclosed delimiter
 #test({(1 + 1}, 2)
diff --git a/tests/typ/compiler/string.typ b/tests/typ/compiler/string.typ
index ddd0f7ff..9a4b4146 100644
--- a/tests/typ/compiler/string.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/compiler/string.typ
@@ -204,5 +204,5 @@
 #test("a123c".split(regex("\d+")), ("a", "c"))
 
 ---
-// Error: 2:1 expected quote
+// Error: 2-2:1 unclosed string
 #"hello\"
diff --git a/tests/typ/math/syntax.typ b/tests/typ/math/syntax.typ
index 8970fc93..503d3031 100644
--- a/tests/typ/math/syntax.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/math/syntax.typ
@@ -18,5 +18,5 @@ $ underline(f' : NN -> RR) \
 $ dot \ dots \ ast \ tilde \ star $
 
 ---
-// Error: 1:3 expected dollar sign
+// Error: 1-2 unclosed delimiter
 $a
diff --git a/tests/typ/meta/link.typ b/tests/typ/meta/link.typ
index 36f88f90..37eba6b7 100644
--- a/tests/typ/meta/link.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/meta/link.typ
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ https://example.com/)
 
 ---
 // Verify that opening brackets without closing brackets throw an error.
-// Error: 22-22 expected closing bracket in link
+// Error: 1-22 automatic links cannot contain unbalanced brackets, use the `link` function instead
 https://exam(ple.com/
 
 ---
diff --git a/tests/typ/text/emphasis.typ b/tests/typ/text/emphasis.typ
index 0191ac87..fd04c8e7 100644
--- a/tests/typ/text/emphasis.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/text/emphasis.typ
@@ -27,17 +27,17 @@ Normal
 *Medium* and *#[*Bold*]*
 
 ---
-// Error: 13 expected underscore
+// Error: 6-7 unclosed delimiter
 #box[_Scoped] to body.
 
 ---
 // Ends at paragraph break.
-// Error: 7 expected underscore
+// Error: 1-2 unclosed delimiter
 _Hello
 
 World
 
 ---
-// Error: 26 expected star
-// Error: 26 expected underscore
+// Error: 11-12 unclosed delimiter
+// Error: 3-4 unclosed delimiter
 #[_Cannot *be interleaved]
diff --git a/tests/typ/text/escape.typ b/tests/typ/text/escape.typ
index e7ec9023..8e557918 100644
--- a/tests/typ/text/escape.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/text/escape.typ
@@ -32,5 +32,5 @@ let f() , ; : | + - /= == 12 "string"
 
 ---
 // Unterminated.
-// Error: 6 expected closing brace
+// Error: 1-6 unclosed unicode escape sequence
 \u{41[*Bold*]
diff --git a/tests/typ/text/raw.typ b/tests/typ/text/raw.typ
index 1040151c..8cf5ee7e 100644
--- a/tests/typ/text/raw.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/text/raw.typ
@@ -55,5 +55,5 @@ The keyword ```rust let```.
 
 ---
 // Unterminated.
-// Error: 2:1 expected 1 backtick
+// Error: 1-2:1 unclosed raw text
 `endless