diff --git a/typed-racket-doc/typed-racket/scribblings/reference/special-forms.scrbl b/typed-racket-doc/typed-racket/scribblings/reference/special-forms.scrbl
index 0c502ed0..aa676217 100644
--- a/typed-racket-doc/typed-racket/scribblings/reference/special-forms.scrbl
+++ b/typed-racket-doc/typed-racket/scribblings/reference/special-forms.scrbl
@@ -497,13 +497,21 @@ for function types.
 the types @racket[t], and also provides all of the @racket[v]s.}
 
 @defform/none[#{v : t}]{ This declares that the variable @racket[v] has type
-@racket[t].  This is legal only for binding occurrences of @racket[_v].}
+@racket[t].  This is legal only for binding occurrences of @racket[_v].
+
+If a dispatch macro on @racket[#\{] already exists in the current
+@tech[#:doc '(lib "scribblings/reference/reference.scrbl")]{readtable}, this
+syntax will be disabled.}
 
 @defform[(ann e t)]{Ensure that @racket[e] has type @racket[t], or
 some subtype.  The entire expression has type @racket[t].
 This is legal only in expression contexts.}
 
-@defform/none[#{e :: t}]{A reader abbreviation for @racket[(ann e t)].}
+@defform/none[#{e :: t}]{A reader abbreviation for @racket[(ann e t)].
+
+If a dispatch macro on @racket[#\{] already exists in the current
+@tech[#:doc '(lib "scribblings/reference/reference.scrbl")]{readtable}, this
+syntax will be disabled.}
 
 @defform[(cast e t)]{The entire expression has the type @racket[t], while
 @racket[e] may have any type. The value of the entire expression is the value
diff --git a/typed-racket-lib/typed-racket/typed-reader.rkt b/typed-racket-lib/typed-racket/typed-reader.rkt
index a72c31bb..7cb6e934 100644
--- a/typed-racket-lib/typed-racket/typed-reader.rkt
+++ b/typed-racket-lib/typed-racket/typed-reader.rkt
@@ -77,7 +77,15 @@
         (list src line col pos (and pos (- p pos)))))]))
 
 (define (readtable)
-  (make-readtable (current-readtable) #\{ 'dispatch-macro parse-id-type))
+  ; don't install the reader macro if a dispatch macro on the open brace has already been installed
+  (define current-table (current-readtable))
+  (define-values (c reader-proc dispatch-proc)
+    (if current-table
+        (readtable-mapping current-table #\{)
+        (values #f #f #f)))
+  (if dispatch-proc
+      current-table
+      (make-readtable current-table #\{ 'dispatch-macro parse-id-type)))
 
 (define (*read inp)
   (parameterize ([current-readtable (readtable)])
diff --git a/typed-racket-test/succeed/annotation-syntax-override.rkt b/typed-racket-test/succeed/annotation-syntax-override.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..722d2f38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/typed-racket-test/succeed/annotation-syntax-override.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#lang racket
+
+(require rackunit
+         typed-racket/typed-reader)
+
+(test-case
+ "Annotation reader syntax"
+ (define stx (read-syntax 'in (open-input-string "#{x : T}")))
+ (check-equal? (syntax-e stx) 'x)
+ (check-equal? (syntax-property stx 'type-label) 'T))
+
+(test-case
+ "Overridden annotation reader syntax"
+ (define (read* c in . args)
+   (read-char in)
+   'replacement)
+ (define stx
+   (parameterize ([current-readtable
+                   (make-readtable #f #\{ 'dispatch-macro read*)])
+     (read-syntax 'in (open-input-string "#{}"))))
+ (check-equal? (syntax-e stx) 'replacement))