diff --git a/src/notcl.test.ts b/src/notcl.test.ts
index 0856244..9e631de 100644
--- a/src/notcl.test.ts
+++ b/src/notcl.test.ts
@@ -102,6 +102,9 @@ b`)
     it("allows escaped quotes inside a quote", () =>
       expect(parse('"a\\"b"')).toEqual([true, [[{ text: 'a"b' }]]]));
 
+    it("must close quoted words", () =>
+      expect(parse('"a b')).toMatchObject([false, {}]));
+
     it("does not allow trailing characters after a closing quote", () =>
       expect(parse('""a')).toMatchObject([false, {}]));
 
@@ -138,6 +141,9 @@ b`)
     it("can parse nested braces with text", () =>
       expect(parse("{a{b}c}")).toEqual([true, [[{ text: "a{b}c" }]]]));
 
+    it("must be closed", () =>
+      expect(parse("{a b")).toMatchObject([false, {}]));
+
     it("does not allow trailing characters after a closing brace", () =>
       expect(parse("{}a")).toMatchObject([false, {}]));
 
@@ -168,6 +174,11 @@ b`)
         parse(String.raw`{\\\
 }`)
       ).toEqual([true, [[{ text: "\\\\ " }]]]));
+
+    test.each(['{"}"', '"{"}'])(
+      "does not permit overlapping braces and quotes {%s}",
+      (text) => expect(parse(text)).toMatchObject([false, {}])
+    );
   });
 
   describe("Misc", () => {
diff --git a/src/notcl.ts b/src/notcl.ts
index 6b99b34..3bcf8e2 100644
--- a/src/notcl.ts
+++ b/src/notcl.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ const BARE_WORD_CHAR = /[^\s\\;]+/y;
 
 function bareWordTmpl(charRegex: RegExp) {
   return Sequence(
+    Regex(/(?!["\{])/y),
     AtLeast(
       1,
       Choose<InterpolatedPiece>(
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ function bareWordTmpl(charRegex: RegExp) {
           .map(([text]) => ({ text }))
       )
     )
-  ).map(([pieces]) => SimplifyWord(pieces));
+  ).map(([, pieces]) => SimplifyWord(pieces));
 }
 
 const QuotedWord = Sequence(