diff --git a/collects/redex/private/rewrite-side-conditions.rkt b/collects/redex/private/rewrite-side-conditions.rkt
index a0b80be5c8..4e73f23296 100644
--- a/collects/redex/private/rewrite-side-conditions.rkt
+++ b/collects/redex/private/rewrite-side-conditions.rkt
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@
                 (define prefix-stx (datum->syntax term prefix-sym))
                 (define mismatch? (regexp-match? #rx"^!_" suffix))
                 (cond
+                  [(eq? (syntax-e term) '_) (values `any '())] ;; don't bind wildcard
                   [(eq? prefix-sym '...)
                    (raise-syntax-error 
                     what
diff --git a/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl b/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl
index 078a4e9364..8473a06e58 100644
--- a/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl
+++ b/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ in the grammar are terminals.
 
 @(racketgrammar* #;#:literals #;(any number string variable variable-except variable-prefix variable-not-otherwise-mentioned hole hide-hole name in-hole side-condition cross) 
    [pattern any 
+            _
             number 
             natural
             integer
@@ -134,6 +135,10 @@ were an implicit @pattech[name] @pattern) and match the portion
 before the underscore.
 }
 
+@item{The @defpattech[_] @pattern matches any sexpression,
+but does not bind $pattech[_] as a name, nor can it be suffixed to bind a name.
+}
+
 @item{The @defpattech[number] @pattern matches any number.
 This @pattern may also be suffixed with an underscore and another
 identifier, in which case they bind the full name (as if it
diff --git a/collects/redex/tests/rewrite-side-condition-test.rkt b/collects/redex/tests/rewrite-side-condition-test.rkt
index 494ea84fb3..5c549bc8e8 100644
--- a/collects/redex/tests/rewrite-side-condition-test.rkt
+++ b/collects/redex/tests/rewrite-side-condition-test.rkt
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 (check-equal? (rsc 1 () #t) `(1 () ()))
 (check-equal? (rsc (1) () #t) `((list 1) () ()))
+(check-equal? (rsc (_ _ (name x _)) () #t) `((list any any (name x any)) (x) (x)))
 (check-equal? (rsc (1 ...) () #t) `((list (repeat 1 #f #f)) () ()))
 (check-equal? (rsc (1 ..._2) () #t) `((list (repeat 1 #f #f)) () ()))
 (check-equal? (rsc (1 ..._2 1 ..._2) () #t) `((list (repeat 1 ..._2 #f) (repeat 1 ..._2 #f)) () ()))
@@ -68,8 +69,6 @@
               '(list (repeat (name x_1 (nt x)) ..._2 #f)
                      (repeat (name x (nt x)) ..._2 #f)
                      (repeat (name x_1 (nt x)) ..._2 #f)))
-
-
 (check-equal? (car (rsc (x_1 ..._1 x_2 ..._2 (x_1 x_2) ..._3) (x) #t))
               '(list (repeat (name x_1 (nt x)) ..._3 #f)
                      (repeat (name x_2 (nt x)) ..._3 #f)