diff --git a/src/testdir/test_autocmd.vim b/src/testdir/test_autocmd.vim
index d5d516c..8d083db 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_autocmd.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_autocmd.vim
@@ -5035,7 +5035,8 @@
   exe "e " fname
   vsp
   augroup testing
-    exe "au BufWinLeave " .. fname .. " :e " dummy .. "| vsp " .. fname
+    exe 'au BufWinLeave' fname 'e' dummy
+          \ '| call assert_fails(''vsp' fname ''', ''E1546:'')'
   augroup END
   bw
   call CleanUpTestAuGroup()