diff --git a/lib/less/parser.js b/lib/less/parser.js
index 2d3f7406..835e41a6 100644
--- a/lib/less/parser.js
+++ b/lib/less/parser.js
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ less.Parser = function Parser(env) {
                 var e, t;
 
                 c = $(this.combinator);
-                e = $(/^[.#:]?[\w-]+/) || $('*') || $(this.attribute) || $(/^\([^)@]+\)/);
+                e = $(/^(?:[.#]?|:*)[\w-]+/) || $('*') || $(this.attribute) || $(/^\([^)@]+\)/);
 
                 if (e) { return new(tree.Element)(c, e) }
             },