diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/tt/macro_rules.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/tt/macro_rules.rs
index 3522c8863cf52..69e24cf071902 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/tt/macro_rules.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/tt/macro_rules.rs
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ fn generic_extension<'cx>(cx: &'cx ExtCtxt,
     for (i, lhs) in lhses.iter().enumerate() { // try each arm's matchers
         let lhs_tt = match *lhs {
             TokenTree::Delimited(_, ref delim) => &delim.tts[..],
-            _ => cx.span_fatal(sp, "malformed macro lhs")
+            _ => cx.span_bug(sp, "malformed macro lhs")
         };
 
         match TokenTree::parse(cx, lhs_tt, arg) {
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ fn generic_extension<'cx>(cx: &'cx ExtCtxt,
                 let rhs = match rhses[i] {
                     // ignore delimiters
                     TokenTree::Delimited(_, ref delimed) => delimed.tts.clone(),
-                    _ => cx.span_fatal(sp, "malformed macro rhs"),
+                    _ => cx.span_bug(sp, "malformed macro rhs"),
                 };
                 // rhs has holes ( `$id` and `$(...)` that need filled)
                 let trncbr = new_tt_reader(&cx.parse_sess().span_diagnostic,
@@ -326,19 +326,14 @@ pub fn compile<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
     NormalTT(exp, Some(def.span), def.allow_internal_unstable)
 }
 
-// why is this here? because of https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/27774
-fn ref_slice<A>(s: &A) -> &[A] { use std::slice::from_raw_parts; unsafe { from_raw_parts(s, 1) } }
-
 fn check_lhs_nt_follows(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, lhs: &TokenTree) -> bool {
     // lhs is going to be like TokenTree::Delimited(...), where the
     // entire lhs is those tts. Or, it can be a "bare sequence", not wrapped in parens.
     match lhs {
         &TokenTree::Delimited(_, ref tts) => check_matcher(cx, &tts.tts),
-        tt @ &TokenTree::Sequence(..) => check_matcher(cx, ref_slice(tt)),
         _ => {
-            cx.span_err(lhs.get_span(),
-                        "invalid macro matcher; matchers must be contained \
-                         in balanced delimiters or a repetition indicator");
+            cx.span_err(lhs.get_span(), "invalid macro matcher; matchers must \
+                                         be contained in balanced delimiters");
             false
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/malformed_macro_lhs.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/malformed_macro_lhs.rs
index 88e19af2eea07..5d81e21f05684 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/malformed_macro_lhs.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/malformed_macro_lhs.rs
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
 // except according to those terms.
 
 macro_rules! my_precioooous {
-    $($t:tt)* => (1);
+    $($t:tt)* => (1); //~ ERROR invalid macro matcher
 }
 
 fn main() {
-    my_precioooous!(); //~ ERROR malformed macro lhs
+    my_precioooous!();
 }
diff --git a/src/test/run-pass/issue-21350.rs b/src/test/run-pass/issue-21350.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index ff205cd694c3a..0000000000000
--- a/src/test/run-pass/issue-21350.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2015 The Rust Project Developers. See the COPYRIGHT
-// file at the top-level directory of this distribution and at
-// http://rust-lang.org/COPYRIGHT.
-//
-// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 <LICENSE-APACHE or
-// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0> or the MIT license
-// <LICENSE-MIT or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT>, at your
-// option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
-// except according to those terms.
-
-// Make sure that "bare sequences" don't ICE in follow checking
-
-// pretty-expanded FIXME #23616
-
-macro_rules! bare {
-    $($id:expr),+ => ( $($id)+ )
-}
-
-fn main() { }