diff --git a/lang/ast/expr/expr.c b/lang/ast/expr/expr.c
index 2b87cb0..960aed1 100644
--- a/lang/ast/expr/expr.c
+++ b/lang/ast/expr/expr.c
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ struct ast_node_type expr_node_ops = {
 		SYM_PARSER(SEMICOLON, arith_parse_semicolon),
 		SYM_PARSER(UNDERSCORE, arith_parse_operand),
 		SYM_PARSER(CARET, arith_parse_caret),
+		/* treat colons as empty labels */
+		SYM_PARSER(COLON, arith_parse_label),
 		SYM_PARSER(COMMA, arith_parse_comma),
 		SYM_PARSER(DOT, arith_parse_dot),
 		SYM_PARSER(BANG, arith_parse_bang),
diff --git a/lang/ast/selector.c b/lang/ast/selector.c
index 7c5fbbb..9a8dace 100644
--- a/lang/ast/selector.c
+++ b/lang/ast/selector.c
@@ -269,8 +269,10 @@ static void to_string(struct ivy_ast_node *node, b_string *str)
 		label = b_unbox(struct ivy_token, label_it.entry, t_entry);
 		name = b_unbox(struct ivy_token, name_it.entry, t_entry);
 
-		if (label) {
+		if (label && label->t_type == IVY_TOK_LABEL) {
 			b_string_append_cstrf(str, "%s:", label->t_str);
+		} else {
+			b_string_append_cstrf(str, "_:");
 		}
 
 		if (name) {