diff --git a/src/asm/symbol.c b/src/asm/symbol.c
index 167355ba..c7f187fc 100644
--- a/src/asm/symbol.c
+++ b/src/asm/symbol.c
@@ -540,8 +540,10 @@ void sym_AddReloc(char const *tzSym)
 	char *localPtr = strchr(tzSym, '.');
 
 	if (localPtr != NULL) {
-		if (!pScope)
-			fatalerror("Local label in main scope");
+		if (!pScope) {
+			yyerror("Local label in main scope");
+			return;
+		}
 
 		struct sSymbol *parent = pScope->pScope ?
 					 pScope->pScope : pScope;
diff --git a/test/asm/local-without-parent.err b/test/asm/local-without-parent.err
index 85a4a724..71b4230c 100644
--- a/test/asm/local-without-parent.err
+++ b/test/asm/local-without-parent.err
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 ERROR: local-without-parent.asm(2):
     Local label '.test' in main scope
+error: Assembly aborted (1 errors)!