diff --git a/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs b/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs
index 742bd22644..33ecdadd3a 100644
--- a/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs
@@ -1594,6 +1594,7 @@ pub fn parse_number(working_set: &mut StateWorkingSet, span: Span) -> Expression
 
 pub fn parse_range(working_set: &mut StateWorkingSet, span: Span) -> Option<Expression> {
     trace!("parsing: range");
+    let starting_error_count = working_set.parse_errors.len();
 
     // Range follows the following syntax: [<from>][<next_operator><next>]<range_operator>[<to>]
     //   where <next_operator> is ".."
@@ -1715,6 +1716,10 @@ pub fn parse_range(working_set: &mut StateWorkingSet, span: Span) -> Option<Expr
         (None, span)
     };
 
+    if working_set.parse_errors.len() != starting_error_count {
+        return None;
+    }
+
     let operator = RangeOperator {
         inclusion,
         span: range_op_span,
diff --git a/crates/nu-parser/tests/test_parser.rs b/crates/nu-parser/tests/test_parser.rs
index 48ee9a7d9a..f72b52b433 100644
--- a/crates/nu-parser/tests/test_parser.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-parser/tests/test_parser.rs
@@ -1828,23 +1828,13 @@ mod range {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn vars_read_as_units() {
+    fn vars_not_read_as_units() {
         let engine_state = EngineState::new();
         let mut working_set = StateWorkingSet::new(&engine_state);
 
         let _ = parse(&mut working_set, None, b"0..<$day", true);
 
-        assert!(
-            working_set.parse_errors.len() == 1,
-            "Errors: {:?}",
-            working_set.parse_errors
-        );
-        let err = &working_set.parse_errors[0].to_string();
-        assert!(
-            err.contains("Variable not found"),
-            "Expected variable not found error, got {}",
-            err
-        );
+        assert!(working_set.parse_errors.is_empty());
     }
 
     #[rstest]
@@ -1878,6 +1868,26 @@ mod range {
             err
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn dont_mess_with_external_calls() {
+        let engine_state = EngineState::new();
+        let mut working_set = StateWorkingSet::new(&engine_state);
+        working_set.add_decl(Box::new(ToCustom));
+
+        let result = parse(&mut working_set, None, b"../foo", true);
+
+        assert!(
+            working_set.parse_errors.is_empty(),
+            "Errors: {:?}",
+            working_set.parse_errors
+        );
+        let expr = &result.pipelines[0].elements[0].expr.expr;
+        assert!(
+            matches!(expr, Expr::ExternalCall(..)),
+            "Should've been parsed as a call"
+        );
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]