4 files changed, 31 insertions, 3 deletions
diff --git a/src/nvim/regexp_nfa.c b/src/nvim/regexp_nfa.c
index 2659eac762..bbe96854ad 100644
--- a/src/nvim/regexp_nfa.c
+++ b/src/nvim/regexp_nfa.c
@@ -1259,10 +1259,16 @@ static int nfa_regatom(void)
     switch (c) {
     case 's':
       EMIT(NFA_ZSTART);
+      if (!re_mult_next("\\zs")) {
+        return false;
+      }
       break;
     case 'e':
       EMIT(NFA_ZEND);
-      nfa_has_zend = TRUE;
+      nfa_has_zend = true;
+      if (!re_mult_next("\\zs")) {
+        return false;
+      }
       break;
     case '1':
     case '2':
@@ -1741,6 +1747,15 @@ nfa_do_multibyte:
   return OK;
 }
 
+/// Used in a place where no * or \+ can follow.
+static bool re_mult_next(char *what)
+{
+  if (re_multi_type(peekchr()) == MULTI_MULT) {
+    EMSG2_RET_FAIL(_("E888: (NFA regexp) cannot repeat %s"), what);
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
 /*
  * Parse something followed by possible [*+=].
  *
diff --git a/src/nvim/testdir/test64.in b/src/nvim/testdir/test64.in
index 2abdcd1c08..f2452fc0f3 100644
--- a/src/nvim/testdir/test64.in
+++ b/src/nvim/testdir/test64.in
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ STARTTEST
 :  let text = t[2]
 :  let matchidx = 3
 :  for engine in [0, 1, 2]
-:    if engine == 2 && re == 0 || engine == 1 && re ==1
+:    if engine == 2 && re == 0 || engine == 1 && re == 1
 :      continue
 :    endif
 :    let &regexpengine = engine
@@ -608,6 +608,17 @@ yeGopA END:"
 "ayb20gg/..\%$
 "bybGo"apo"bp:"
 :"
+:" Check for detecting error
+:set regexpengine=2
+:for pat in [' \ze*', ' \zs*']
+:  try
+:    let l = matchlist('x x', pat)
+:    $put ='E888 NOT detected for ' . pat
+:  catch
+:    $put ='E888 detected for ' . pat
+:  endtry
+:endfor
+:"
 :""""" Write the results """""""""""""
 :/\%#=1^Results/,$wq! test.out
 ENDTEST
diff --git a/src/nvim/testdir/test64.ok b/src/nvim/testdir/test64.ok
index e7d173141a..ffc0b5341f 100644
--- a/src/nvim/testdir/test64.ok
+++ b/src/nvim/testdir/test64.ok
@@ -1097,3 +1097,5 @@ Test
 Test END
 EN
 E
+E888 detected for  \ze*
+E888 detected for  \zs*
diff --git a/src/nvim/version.c b/src/nvim/version.c
index 9943e2945f..76cf667ce5 100644
--- a/src/nvim/version.c
+++ b/src/nvim/version.c
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ static int included_patches[] = {
   //424 NA
   //423,
   //422,
-  //421,
+  421,
   //420 NA
   419,
   418,