diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
index 02802ce607..b7e40e901c 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ mut:
 	tok               token.Token
 	prev_tok          token.Token
 	peek_tok          token.Token
+	peek_tok2         token.Token
 	table             &table.Table
 	is_c              bool
 	is_js             bool
@@ -179,11 +180,13 @@ pub fn (p &Parser) init_parse_fns() {
 }
 
 pub fn (mut p Parser) read_first_token() {
-	// need to call next() twice to get peek token and current token
+	// need to call next() three times to get peek token 1 & 2 and current token
+	p.next()
 	p.next()
 	p.next()
 }
 
+
 pub fn (mut p Parser) open_scope() {
 	p.scope = &ast.Scope{
 		parent: p.scope
@@ -241,7 +244,8 @@ fn (mut p Parser) next_with_comment() {
 fn (mut p Parser) next() {
 	p.prev_tok = p.tok
 	p.tok = p.peek_tok
-	p.peek_tok = p.scanner.scan()
+	p.peek_tok = p.peek_tok2
+	p.peek_tok2 = p.scanner.scan()
 	/*
 	if p.tok.kind==.comment {
 		p.comments << ast.Comment{text:p.tok.lit, line_nr:p.tok.line_nr}
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/pratt.v b/vlib/v/parser/pratt.v
index c3c300bf8d..3afc4186a4 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/pratt.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/pratt.v
@@ -161,6 +161,11 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) expr(precedence int) ast.Expr {
 				pos: pos
 			}
 		} else if p.tok.kind.is_infix() {
+			// return early for deref assign `*x = 2` goes to prefix expr
+			if p.tok.kind == .mul && p.tok.line_nr != p.prev_tok.line_nr && p.peek_tok2.kind == .assign {
+				return node
+			}
+			// continue on infix expr
 			node = p.infix_expr(node)
 		} else if p.tok.kind in [.inc, .dec] {
 			// Postfix