diff -r 6c1cc50c4808 -r 443d24cfdf2d src/compiler/Parser.cpp
--- a/src/compiler/Parser.cpp	Sat Nov 17 23:13:39 2012 -0800
+++ b/src/compiler/Parser.cpp	Sun Nov 18 14:53:23 2012 -0800
@@ -139,30 +139,21 @@
 }
 
 Expression *
-Parser::arrayLiteral(TokenKind kind)
+Parser::fixedArrayLiteral()
 {
-    assert(kind == TOK_LBRACE || kind == TOK_LBRACKET);
-
-    TokenKind close = (kind == TOK_LBRACE)
-                      ? TOK_RBRACE
-                      : TOK_RBRACKET;
-
     SourcePosition pos = scanner_.begin();
 
     ExpressionList *list = new (pool_) ExpressionList();
     do {
-        if (match(close))
+        // { } is an illegal array literal.
+        if (list->length() > 0 && match(TOK_LBRACE))
             break;
 
         Expression *expr = NULL;
-        if (kind == TOK_LBRACE) {
-            if (peek(TOK_LBRACE))
-                expr = arrayLiteral(TOK_LBRACE);
-            else
-                expr = primitive();
-        } else {
-            expr = expression();
-        }
+        if (peek(TOK_LBRACE))
+            expr = fixedArrayLiteral();
+        else
+            expr = primitive();
         if (!expr)
             return NULL;
 
@@ -170,13 +161,13 @@
             return NULL;
 
         if (!match(TOK_COMMA)) {
-            if (!expect(close))
+            if (!expect(TOK_RBRACE))
                 return NULL;
             break;
         }
     } while (true);
 
-    return new (pool_) ArrayLiteral(pos, kind, list);
+    return new (pool_) ArrayLiteral(pos, TOK_LBRACE, list);
 }
 
 Expression *
@@ -882,7 +873,7 @@
         return NULL;
 
     ExpressionList *dims = NULL;
-    if (match(TOK_LBRACE)) {
+    if (peek(TOK_LBRACKET)) {
         if ((dims = dimensions()) == NULL)
             return NULL;;
     }
@@ -894,7 +885,8 @@
         switch (scanner_.peek()) {
           // Note: we don't support [] literals yet.
           case TOK_LBRACE:
-            if ((expr = arrayLiteral(scanner_.scan())) == NULL)
+            scanner_.scan();
+            if ((expr = fixedArrayLiteral()) == NULL)
                 return NULL;
             break;