diff --git a/src/evalvars.c b/src/evalvars.c
index 9124848..4342100 100644
--- a/src/evalvars.c
+++ b/src/evalvars.c
@@ -881,7 +881,7 @@
 	    else
 		++expr;
 
-	    if (vim9script && (!VIM_ISWHITE(*argend)
+	    if (vim9script && !eap->skip && (!VIM_ISWHITE(*argend)
 						   || !IS_WHITE_OR_NUL(*expr)))
 	    {
 		vim_strncpy(op, expr - len, len);
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_vim9_assign.vim b/src/testdir/test_vim9_assign.vim
index df8f486..394dfe6 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_vim9_assign.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_vim9_assign.vim
@@ -1854,6 +1854,12 @@
     'var ll = [1, 2]',
     'unlet ll[0: 1]',
     ], 'E1004:', 2)
+  # command recognized as assignment when skipping, should not give an error
+  CheckScriptSuccess([
+    'vim9script',
+    'for i in []',
+    "  put =''",
+    'endfor'])
 
   CheckDefFailure([
     'var ll = [1, 2]',
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index e4c8589..954ea5b 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -758,6 +758,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    3696,
+/**/
     3695,
 /**/
     3694,