diff --git a/ale_linters/puppet/puppet.vim b/ale_linters/puppet/puppet.vim
index ae648615..b4afe9ac 100644
--- a/ale_linters/puppet/puppet.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/puppet/puppet.vim
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ function! ale_linters#puppet#puppet#Handle(buffer, lines) abort
     " Error: Could not parse for environment production: Syntax error at ':' at /root/puppetcode/modules/nginx/manifests/init.pp:43:12
     " Error: Could not parse for environment production: Syntax error at '='; expected '}' at /root/puppetcode/modules/pancakes/manifests/init.pp:5"
     " Error: Could not parse for environment production: Syntax error at 'parameter1' (file: /tmp/modules/mariadb/manifests/slave.pp, line: 4, column: 5)
-    let l:pattern = '^Error: .*: \(.\+\) \((file:\|at\) .\+\.pp\(, line: \|:\)\(\d\+\)\(, column: \|:\)\=\(\d*\)'
+    " Error: Illegal attempt to assign to 'a Name'. Not an assignable reference (file: /tmp/modules/waffles/manifests/syrup.pp, line: 5, column: 11)
+    let l:pattern = '^Error:\%(.*:\)\? \(.\+\) \((file:\|at\) .\+\.pp\(, line: \|:\)\(\d\+\)\(, column: \|:\)\=\(\d*\)'
     let l:output = []
 
     for l:match in ale#util#GetMatches(a:lines, l:pattern)
diff --git a/test/handler/test_puppet_handler.vader b/test/handler/test_puppet_handler.vader
index e73c9dc7..e03cd42d 100644
--- a/test/handler/test_puppet_handler.vader
+++ b/test/handler/test_puppet_handler.vader
@@ -49,3 +49,17 @@ Execute(The puppet handler should parse lines and column correctly):
   \   "Error: Could not parse for environment production: Syntax error at ':' at C:/puppet/modules/nginx/manifests/init.pp:54:9",
   \   "Error: Could not parse for environment production: Syntax error at 'parameter1' (file: /tmp/modules/mariadb/manifests/slave.pp, line: 45, column: 12)",
   \ ])
+
+Execute(The puppet handler should correctly parse errors that are reported before even trying to parse for an environment):
+  " Line Error
+  AssertEqual
+  \ [
+  \   {
+  \     'lnum': 5,
+  \     'col': 11,
+  \     'text': "Illegal attempt to assign to 'a Name'. Not an assignable reference"
+  \   },
+  \ ],
+  \ ale_linters#puppet#puppet#Handle(255, [
+  \   "Error: Illegal attempt to assign to 'a Name'. Not an assignable reference (file: /tmp/modules/waffles/manifests/syrup.pp, line: 5, column: 11)",
+  \ ])