diff --git a/collects/datalog/stx.rkt b/collects/datalog/stx.rkt
index 87d9ccefcd..87c480b18c 100644
--- a/collects/datalog/stx.rkt
+++ b/collects/datalog/stx.rkt
@@ -99,7 +99,13 @@
               (syntax-parse 
                stx
                [sym:id
-                (list #'sym)]
+                (cond
+                  [(identifier-binding #'sym 0)
+                   empty]
+                  [(char-upper-case? (string-ref (symbol->string (syntax->datum #'sym)) 0))
+                   (list #'sym)]
+                  [else
+                   empty])]
                [sym:expr
                 empty]))
             (define head-vars (datalog-literal-variables #'head))
diff --git a/collects/tests/datalog/examples/student.rkt b/collects/tests/datalog/examples/student.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..514153de1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/tests/datalog/examples/student.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#lang datalog
+friend(arnold,arnold).
+student(arnold,arnold,arnold) :- friend(arnold,arnold).
+student(arnold,arnold,arnold)?
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/collects/tests/datalog/examples/student.txt b/collects/tests/datalog/examples/student.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..573c7a300f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/tests/datalog/examples/student.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+student(arnold, arnold, arnold).