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;
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_vim9_expr.vim b/src/testdir/test_vim9_expr.vim
index dc6858f..6b51bc7 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_vim9_expr.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_vim9_expr.vim
@@ -2961,6 +2961,10 @@
 
       var Join = (l) => join(l, 'x')
       assert_equal('axb', ['a', 'b']->(Join)())
+      
+      var sorted = [3, 1, 2]
+                    -> sort()
+      assert_equal([1, 2, 3], sorted)
   END
   CheckDefAndScriptSuccess(lines)
 enddef
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index cea97e8..de03654 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -751,6 +751,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    2964,
+/**/
     2963,
 /**/
     2962,
diff --git a/src/vim9compile.c b/src/vim9compile.c
index 1256bfa..28108bf 100644
--- a/src/vim9compile.c
+++ b/src/vim9compile.c
@@ -4108,7 +4108,8 @@
 	    // Also if a following line starts with ".x".
 	    if (next != NULL &&
 		    ((next[0] == '-' && next[1] == '>'
-				 && (next[2] == '{' || ASCII_ISALPHA(next[2])))
+				 && (next[2] == '{'
+				       || ASCII_ISALPHA(*skipwhite(next + 2))))
 		    || (next[0] == '.' && eval_isdictc(next[1]))))
 	    {
 		next = next_line_from_context(cctx, TRUE);