diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index d0007bb..46d8ca3 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -5786,8 +5786,9 @@
 	p = eval_next_non_blank(*arg, evalarg, &getnext);
 	if (getnext
 	    && ((rettv->v_type == VAR_DICT && *p == '.' && eval_isdictc(p[1]))
-		|| (p[0] == '-' && p[1] == '>'
-				     && (p[2] == '{' || ASCII_ISALPHA(p[2])))))
+		|| (p[0] == '-' && p[1] == '>' && (p[2] == '{'
+			|| ASCII_ISALPHA(in_vim9script() ? *skipwhite(p + 2)
+								    : p[2])))))
 	{
 	    *arg = eval_next_line(evalarg);
 	    p = *arg;