diff --git a/src/regexp_nfa.c b/src/regexp_nfa.c
index a7fbe7b..4ccb05a 100644
--- a/src/regexp_nfa.c
+++ b/src/regexp_nfa.c
@@ -291,6 +291,7 @@
 static int nfa_regconcat __ARGS((void));
 static int nfa_regbranch __ARGS((void));
 static int nfa_reg __ARGS((int paren));
+static int re_mult_next __ARGS((char *what));
 #ifdef DEBUG
 static void nfa_set_code __ARGS((int c));
 static void nfa_postfix_dump __ARGS((char_u *expr, int retval));
@@ -1323,10 +1324,14 @@
 	    {
 		case 's':
 		    EMIT(NFA_ZSTART);
+		    if (re_mult_next("\\zs") == FAIL)
+			return FAIL;
 		    break;
 		case 'e':
 		    EMIT(NFA_ZEND);
 		    nfa_has_zend = TRUE;
+		    if (re_mult_next("\\ze") == FAIL)
+			return FAIL;
 		    break;
 #ifdef FEAT_SYN_HL
 		case '1':
@@ -2276,6 +2281,18 @@
     return OK;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Used in a place where no * or \+ can follow.
+ */
+    static int
+re_mult_next(what)
+    char *what;
+{
+    if (re_multi_type(peekchr()) == MULTI_MULT)
+	EMSG2_RET_FAIL(_("E888: (NFA regexp) cannot repeat %s"), what);
+    return OK;
+}
+
 #ifdef DEBUG
 static char_u code[50];
 
diff --git a/src/testdir/test64.in b/src/testdir/test64.in
index 2abdcd1..f2452fc 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test64.in
+++ b/src/testdir/test64.in
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@
 :  let text = t[2]
 :  let matchidx = 3
 :  for engine in [0, 1, 2]
-:    if engine == 2 && re == 0 || engine == 1 && re ==1
+:    if engine == 2 && re == 0 || engine == 1 && re == 1
 :      continue
 :    endif
 :    let &regexpengine = engine
@@ -608,6 +608,17 @@
 "ayb20gg/..\%$
 "bybGo"apo"bp:"
 :"
+:" Check for detecting error
+:set regexpengine=2
+:for pat in [' \ze*', ' \zs*']
+:  try
+:    let l = matchlist('x x', pat)
+:    $put ='E888 NOT detected for ' . pat
+:  catch
+:    $put ='E888 detected for ' . pat
+:  endtry
+:endfor
+:"
 :""""" Write the results """""""""""""
 :/\%#=1^Results/,$wq! test.out
 ENDTEST
diff --git a/src/testdir/test64.ok b/src/testdir/test64.ok
index e7d1731..ffc0b53 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test64.ok
+++ b/src/testdir/test64.ok
@@ -1097,3 +1097,5 @@
 Test END
 EN
 E
+E888 detected for  \ze*
+E888 detected for  \zs*
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index a34bef2..d047c9b 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -742,6 +742,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    421,
+/**/
     420,
 /**/
     419,