diff --git a/src/asm/symbol.c b/src/asm/symbol.c
index 60431c0a..bf9d9942 100644
--- a/src/asm/symbol.c
+++ b/src/asm/symbol.c
@@ -735,6 +735,9 @@ void sym_Ref(char *tzSym)
 		int isLocal = 0;
 
 		if (*tzSym == '.') {
+			if (!pScope)
+				fatalerror("Local label reference '%s' in main scope",
+					   tzSym);
 			fullSymbolName(fullname, sizeof(fullname), tzSym,
 				       pScope);
 			tzSym = fullname;
diff --git a/test/asm/local-ref-without-parent.asm b/test/asm/local-ref-without-parent.asm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..717b9ff0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/asm/local-ref-without-parent.asm
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+SECTION "sec", ROM0
+
+dw .test
diff --git a/test/asm/local-ref-without-parent.out b/test/asm/local-ref-without-parent.out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fd784ef3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/asm/local-ref-without-parent.out
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+ERROR: local-ref-without-parent.asm(3):
+    Local label reference '.test' in main scope
diff --git a/test/asm/local-ref-without-parent.out.pipe b/test/asm/local-ref-without-parent.out.pipe
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9f630009
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/asm/local-ref-without-parent.out.pipe
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+ERROR: -(3):
+    Local label reference '.test' in main scope