diff --git a/src/testdir/test_vim9_expr.vim b/src/testdir/test_vim9_expr.vim
index 6354782..29a17fe 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_vim9_expr.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_vim9_expr.vim
@@ -3700,6 +3700,17 @@
       assert_equal('', v:errmsg)
   END
   v9.CheckScriptSuccess(lines)
+
+  # this was skipping over the expression without an error
+  lines =<< trim END
+      vim9script
+      def Test(s: string): string
+        return substitute(s, 'A', '\=toupper("x")', 'g')
+                          ->tolower()
+      enddef
+      assert_equal('xbcd', Test('ABCD'))
+  END
+  v9.CheckScriptSuccess(lines)
 enddef
 
 def Test_expr9_method_call_import()
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 4fbd96d..1f808f3 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -696,6 +696,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1164,
+/**/
     1163,
 /**/
     1162,
diff --git a/src/vim9expr.c b/src/vim9expr.c
index 3acb97b..7f5f4c8 100644
--- a/src/vim9expr.c
+++ b/src/vim9expr.c
@@ -733,7 +733,15 @@
     cctx->ctx_instr.ga_len = 0;
     cctx->ctx_instr.ga_maxlen = 0;
     cctx->ctx_instr.ga_data = NULL;
+
+    // avoid peeking a next line
+    int galen_save = cctx->ctx_ufunc->uf_lines.ga_len;
+    cctx->ctx_ufunc->uf_lines.ga_len = 0;
+
     expr_res = compile_expr0(&s, cctx);
+
+    cctx->ctx_ufunc->uf_lines.ga_len = galen_save;
+
     s = skipwhite(s);
     trailing_error = *s != NUL;