diff --git a/compiler/parse/src/ident.rs b/compiler/parse/src/ident.rs
index 6a55b8a049..447afa8cc8 100644
--- a/compiler/parse/src/ident.rs
+++ b/compiler/parse/src/ident.rs
@@ -377,12 +377,13 @@ fn chomp_private_tag(buffer: &[u8], row: Row, col: Col) -> Result<&str, BadIdent
 
     match chomp_uppercase_part(&buffer[1..]) {
         Ok(name) => {
-            let chomped = 1 + name.len();
+            let width = 1 + name.len();
 
-            if let Ok(('.', _)) = char::from_utf8_slice_start(&buffer[chomped..]) {
-                Err(BadIdent::BadPrivateTag(row, col + chomped as u16))
+            if let Ok(('.', _)) = char::from_utf8_slice_start(&buffer[width..]) {
+                Err(BadIdent::BadPrivateTag(row, col + width as u16))
             } else {
-                Ok(name)
+                let value = unsafe { std::str::from_utf8_unchecked(&buffer[..width]) };
+                Ok(value)
             }
         }
         Err(_) => Err(BadIdent::BadPrivateTag(row, col + 1)),
diff --git a/compiler/parse/tests/test_parse.rs b/compiler/parse/tests/test_parse.rs
index 58dfb65174..412898dfb4 100644
--- a/compiler/parse/tests/test_parse.rs
+++ b/compiler/parse/tests/test_parse.rs
@@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ mod test_parse {
         use roc_parse::ident::BadIdent;
 
         let arena = Bump::new();
-        let expected = Expr::MalformedIdent("@One.Two.Whee", BadIdent::QualifiedTag(0, 13));
+        let expected = Expr::MalformedIdent("@One.Two.Whee", BadIdent::BadPrivateTag(0, 4));
         let actual = parse_expr_with(&arena, "@One.Two.Whee");
 
         assert_eq!(Ok(expected), actual);