diff --git a/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/test.rkt b/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/test.rkt
index 181d002245..29e6c7398c 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/test.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/test.rkt
@@ -641,3 +641,7 @@
     (check-eq? (x) (void))
     ))
 
+;; from Jay McCarthy (4/2016)
+(tok (1 2 3) (~datum (1 2 3)) 'ok)
+(tok (1 2 . 3) (~datum (1 2 . 3)) 'ok)
+(tok (1 . (2 3)) (~datum (1 . (2 3))) 'ok)
diff --git a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
index 01f2360ece..a0ba0464df 100644
--- a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
@@ -545,10 +545,14 @@ Conventions:
                                   k))))
                           argu))))]
        [#s(pat:datum attrs datum)
-        #`(let ([d (if (syntax? x) (syntax-e x) x)])
-            (if (equal? d (quote datum))
-                k
-                (fail (failure pr (es-add-atom 'datum es)))))]
+        (with-syntax ([unwrap-x
+                       (if (atomic-datum-stx? #'datum)
+                           #'(if (syntax? x) (syntax-e x) x)
+                           #'(syntax->datum (datum->syntax #f x)))])
+          #`(let ([d unwrap-x])
+              (if (equal? d (quote datum))
+                  k
+                  (fail (failure pr (es-add-atom 'datum es))))))]
        [#s(pat:literal attrs literal input-phase lit-phase)
         #`(if (and (identifier? x)
                    (free-identifier=? x (quote-syntax literal) input-phase lit-phase))
diff --git a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt
index 6700187fe2..c110dd1254 100644
--- a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 ;; (mandatory from outside, at least)
 
 (provide/contract
+ [atomic-datum-stx?
+  (-> syntax?
+      boolean?)]
  [parse-rhs
   (-> syntax? (or/c false/c (listof sattr?)) boolean?
       #:context (or/c false/c syntax?)
@@ -73,7 +76,7 @@
 
 ;; ----
 
-(define (atomic-datum? stx)
+(define (atomic-datum-stx? stx)
   (let ([datum (syntax-e stx)])
     (or (null? datum)
         (boolean? datum)
@@ -521,7 +524,7 @@
      (identifier? #'id)
      (parse-pat:id stx decls allow-head?)]
     [datum
-     (atomic-datum? #'datum)
+     (atomic-datum-stx? #'datum)
      (create-pat:datum (syntax->datum #'datum))]
     [(~var . rest)
      (disappeared! stx)