diff --git a/collects/redex/private/matcher-test.ss b/collects/redex/private/matcher-test.ss
index cadc6cc205..42313f6ee6 100644
--- a/collects/redex/private/matcher-test.ss
+++ b/collects/redex/private/matcher-test.ss
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@
     (test-empty `hole
                 the-hole
                 (list (make-test-mtch (make-bindings (list)) the-hole none)))
+    (test-empty '(in-hole (hole 2) 1)
+                '(1 2)
+                (list (make-test-mtch (make-bindings (list)) `(1 2) none)))
     
     (test-empty '(in-hole (name E_1 ((hide-hole hole) hole)) x)
                 `(,the-hole x)
diff --git a/collects/redex/private/matcher.ss b/collects/redex/private/matcher.ss
index 5d053083fe..dc757af98b 100644
--- a/collects/redex/private/matcher.ss
+++ b/collects/redex/private/matcher.ss
@@ -196,7 +196,6 @@ before the pattern compiler is invoked.
 	[`(variable-prefix ,s) (void)]
         [`variable-not-otherwise-mentioned (void)]
 	[`hole (void)]
-	[`(hole ,s) (void)]
 	[(? symbol? s) 
          (unless (regexp-match #rx"_" (symbol->string s))
            (unless (regexp-match #rx"^\\.\\.\\." (symbol->string s))
@@ -653,8 +652,6 @@ before the pattern compiler is invoked.
           #f)]
         [`hole
           (values (match-hole none) #t)]
-        [`(hole ,hole-id)
-          (values (match-hole (or hole-id none)) #t)]
         [(? string?)
          (values
           (lambda (exp hole-info)