diff --git a/compiler/pragmas.nim b/compiler/pragmas.nim
index 810c4c416b..cf289a5069 100644
--- a/compiler/pragmas.nim
+++ b/compiler/pragmas.nim
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ proc pragmaGuard(c: PContext; it: PNode; kind: TSymKind): PSym =
 
 proc semCustomPragma(c: PContext, n: PNode): PNode =
   assert(n.kind in nkPragmaCallKinds + {nkIdent})
-  
+
   if n.kind == nkIdent:
     result = newTree(nkCall, n)
   elif n.kind == nkExprColonExpr:
@@ -667,14 +667,15 @@ proc semCustomPragma(c: PContext, n: PNode): PNode =
   else:
     result = n
 
-  result = c.semOverloadedCall(c, result, n, {skTemplate}, {})
-  if sfCustomPragma notin result[0].sym.flags:
+  let r = c.semOverloadedCall(c, result, n, {skTemplate}, {})
+  if r.isNil or sfCustomPragma notin r[0].sym.flags:
     invalidPragma(n)
-
-  if n.kind == nkIdent:
-    result = result[0]
-  elif n.kind == nkExprColonExpr:
-    result.kind = n.kind # pragma(arg) -> pragma: arg
+  else:
+    result = r
+    if n.kind == nkIdent:
+      result = result[0]
+    elif n.kind == nkExprColonExpr:
+      result.kind = n.kind # pragma(arg) -> pragma: arg
 
 proc singlePragma(c: PContext, sym: PSym, n: PNode, i: int,
                   validPragmas: TSpecialWords): bool =
@@ -1016,7 +1017,7 @@ proc singlePragma(c: PContext, sym: PSym, n: PNode, i: int,
         else: sym.flags.incl sfUsed
       of wLiftLocals: discard
       else: invalidPragma(it)
-    else: 
+    else:
       n.sons[i] = semCustomPragma(c, it)
 
 
diff --git a/compiler/transf.nim b/compiler/transf.nim
index 14ff58c905..94899c5d46 100644
--- a/compiler/transf.nim
+++ b/compiler/transf.nim
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@ proc transformExceptBranch(c: PTransf, n: PNode): PTransNode =
   result = transformSons(c, n)
   if n[0].isInfixAs():
     let excTypeNode = n[0][1]
-    let actions = newTransNode(nkStmtList, n[1].info, 2)
+    let actions = newTransNode(nkStmtListExpr, n[1], 2)
     # Generating `let exc = (excType)(getCurrentException())`
     # -> getCurrentException()
     let excCall = PTransNode(callCodegenProc("getCurrentException", ast.emptyNode))
diff --git a/tests/exception/texcas.nim b/tests/exception/texcas.nim
index 4b4ebe4488..fee45af3f2 100644
--- a/tests/exception/texcas.nim
+++ b/tests/exception/texcas.nim
@@ -21,5 +21,13 @@ proc test2() =
   testTemplate(Exception)
   doAssert(not declared(foobar))
 
+
+proc testTryAsExpr(i: int) =
+  let x = try: i    
+  except ValueError as ex:
+    echo(ex.msg)
+    -1
+
 test[Exception]()
-test2()
\ No newline at end of file
+test2()
+testTryAsExpr(5)