diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/lib_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/lib_test.go
index 0b601817..fb3d5c77 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/lib_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/lib_test.go
@@ -15,11 +15,16 @@ func TestGetLogger(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 type parseSnippetScenario struct {
-	snippet  string
-	expected *yaml.Node
+	snippet       string
+	expected      *yaml.Node
+	expectedError string
 }
 
 var parseSnippetScenarios = []parseSnippetScenario{
+	{
+		snippet:       ":",
+		expectedError: "yaml: did not find expected key",
+	},
 	{
 		snippet: "",
 		expected: &yaml.Node{
@@ -82,6 +87,14 @@ var parseSnippetScenarios = []parseSnippetScenario{
 func TestParseSnippet(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tt := range parseSnippetScenarios {
 		actual, err := parseSnippet(tt.snippet)
+		if tt.expectedError != "" {
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Errorf("Expected error '%v' but it worked!", tt.expectedError)
+			} else {
+				test.AssertResultComplexWithContext(t, tt.expectedError, err.Error(), tt.snippet)
+			}
+			return
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Error(tt.snippet)
 			t.Error(err)