diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
index dd926fce0e..2a88143497 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
@@ -321,12 +321,21 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) parse_block_no_scope(is_top_level bool) []ast.Stmt {
 	p.check(.lcbr)
 	mut stmts := []ast.Stmt{}
 	if p.tok.kind != .rcbr {
+		mut c := 0
 		for {
 			stmts << p.stmt(is_top_level)
 			// p.warn('after stmt(): tok=$p.tok.str()')
 			if p.tok.kind in [.eof, .rcbr] {
 				break
 			}
+			c++
+			if c % 100000 == 0 {
+				eprintln('parsed $c statements so far from fn $p.cur_fn_name ...')
+			}
+			if c > 1000000 {
+				p.error_with_pos('parsed over $c statements from fn $p.cur_fn_name, the parser is probably stuck',
+					p.tok.position())
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	if is_top_level {