diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index 05b6584..fe9d4ec 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -3514,7 +3514,12 @@
 	{
 	    int	    flags = evalarg == NULL ? 0 : evalarg->eval_flags;
 
-	    if ((in_vim9script() ? **arg : *skipwhite(*arg)) == '(')
+	    if (in_vim9script() && len == 1 && *s == '_')
+	    {
+		emsg(_(e_cannot_use_underscore_here));
+		ret = FAIL;
+	    }
+	    else if ((in_vim9script() ? **arg : *skipwhite(*arg)) == '(')
 	    {
 		// "name(..."  recursive!
 		*arg = skipwhite(*arg);