diff --git a/parser/parser.lex b/parser/parser.lex
index 7018fbd..b02c8ad 100644
--- a/parser/parser.lex
+++ b/parser/parser.lex
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ up                  return UP;
 vfov                return VFOV;
 width               return WIDTH;
 
-\n                  /* ignore newlines */
+\n                  yylloc->first_line++; yylloc->last_line++;
 [ \t\v]             /* ignore whitespace */
 
-.                   return -1;
+.                   return yytext[0];
 
 %%
diff --git a/parser/parser.yy b/parser/parser.yy
index b99dd86..22fe4db 100644
--- a/parser/parser.yy
+++ b/parser/parser.yy
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ static refptr<Node> parsed_scene_node;
 
 %pure-parser
 %locations
+%error-verbose
 
 %token PLUS;
 %token MINUS;