diff --git a/src/parse/value/parse.rs b/src/parse/value/parse.rs
index 094573a..29ee79c 100644
--- a/src/parse/value/parse.rs
+++ b/src/parse/value/parse.rs
@@ -15,8 +15,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::SassResult,
     unit::Unit,
     utils::{
-        devour_whitespace, eat_whole_number, read_until_closing_paren,
-        read_until_closing_square_brace, IsWhitespace, ParsedNumber,
+        devour_whitespace, eat_whole_number, read_until_closing_paren, IsWhitespace, ParsedNumber,
     },
     value::{Number, SassFunction, SassMap, Value},
     Token,
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@ use super::super::Parser;
 enum IntermediateValue {
     Value(HigherIntermediateValue),
     Op(Op),
-    Bracketed(Vec<Token>),
     Paren(Vec<Token>),
     Comma,
     Whitespace,
@@ -127,22 +125,6 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
                         );
                     }
                 }
-                IntermediateValue::Bracketed(t) => {
-                    last_was_whitespace = false;
-                    space_separated.push(
-                        HigherIntermediateValue::Literal(
-                            match iter.parser.parse_value_from_vec(t, in_paren)?.node {
-                                Value::List(v, sep, Brackets::None) => {
-                                    Value::List(v, sep, Brackets::Bracketed)
-                                }
-                                v => {
-                                    Value::List(vec![v], ListSeparator::Space, Brackets::Bracketed)
-                                }
-                            },
-                        )
-                        .span(val.span),
-                    )
-                }
                 IntermediateValue::Paren(t) => {
                     last_was_whitespace = false;
                     space_separated.push(iter.parse_paren(Spanned {
@@ -608,28 +590,42 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
                     .span(span_start.merge(span))
             }
             '[' => {
-                let mut span = self.toks.next().unwrap().pos();
+                let mut span = self.span_before;
+                self.toks.next();
                 self.whitespace_or_comment();
-                let mut inner = match read_until_closing_square_brace(self.toks) {
-                    Ok(v) => v,
-                    Err(e) => return Some(Err(e)),
-                };
-                if let Some(last_tok) = inner.pop() {
-                    if last_tok.kind != ']' {
-                        return Some(Err(("expected \"]\".", span).into()));
-                    }
-                    span = span.merge(last_tok.pos());
-                }
-                if inner.is_empty() {
+
+                if let Some(Token { kind: ']', pos }) = self.toks.peek()  {
+                    span = span.merge(*pos);
+                    self.toks.next();
                     IntermediateValue::Value(HigherIntermediateValue::Literal(Value::List(
                         Vec::new(),
                         ListSeparator::Space,
                         Brackets::Bracketed,
                     )))
+                    .span(span)
                 } else {
-                    IntermediateValue::Bracketed(inner)
+                    // todo: we don't know if we're `in_paren` here
+                    let inner = match self.parse_value(false, &|toks| {
+                        matches!(toks.peek(), Some(Token { kind: ']', .. }))
+                    }) {
+                        Ok(v) => v,
+                        Err(e) => return Some(Err(e)),
+                    };
+
+                    span = span.merge(inner.span);
+
+                    if !matches!(self.toks.next(), Some(Token { kind: ']', .. })) {
+                        return Some(Err(("expected \"]\".", span).into()));
+                    }
+
+                    IntermediateValue::Value(HigherIntermediateValue::Literal(match inner.node {
+                        Value::List(els, sep, Brackets::None) => {
+                            Value::List(els, sep, Brackets::Bracketed)
+                        }
+                        v => Value::List(vec![v], ListSeparator::Space, Brackets::Bracketed),
+                    }))
+                    .span(span)
                 }
-                .span(span)
             }
             '$' => {
                 self.toks.next();
@@ -1131,14 +1127,6 @@ impl<'a, 'b: 'a> IntermediateValueIterator<'a, 'b> {
             IntermediateValue::Comma => {
                 return Err(("Expected expression.", self.parser.span_before).into())
             }
-            IntermediateValue::Bracketed(t) => {
-                let v = self.parser.parse_value_from_vec(t, in_paren)?;
-                HigherIntermediateValue::Literal(match v.node {
-                    Value::List(v, sep, Brackets::None) => Value::List(v, sep, Brackets::Bracketed),
-                    v => Value::List(vec![v], ListSeparator::Space, Brackets::Bracketed),
-                })
-                .span(v.span)
-            }
             IntermediateValue::Paren(t) => {
                 let val = self.parse_paren(Spanned {
                     node: t,
diff --git a/src/utils/read_until.rs b/src/utils/read_until.rs
index 5eb4505..8cbf193 100644
--- a/src/utils/read_until.rs
+++ b/src/utils/read_until.rs
@@ -235,39 +235,3 @@ pub(crate) fn read_until_closing_paren(
     }
     Ok(t)
 }
-
-pub(crate) fn read_until_closing_square_brace(
-    toks: &mut PeekMoreIterator<IntoIter<Token>>,
-) -> SassResult<Vec<Token>> {
-    let mut t = Vec::new();
-    let mut scope = 0;
-    while let Some(tok) = toks.next() {
-        // TODO: comments
-        match tok.kind {
-            ']' => {
-                if scope < 1 {
-                    t.push(tok);
-                    return Ok(t);
-                } else {
-                    scope -= 1;
-                }
-            }
-            '[' => scope += 1,
-            '"' | '\'' => {
-                t.push(tok);
-                t.extend(read_until_closing_quote(toks, tok.kind)?);
-                continue;
-            }
-            '\\' => {
-                t.push(tok);
-                t.push(match toks.next() {
-                    Some(tok) => tok,
-                    None => continue,
-                });
-            }
-            _ => {}
-        }
-        t.push(tok)
-    }
-    Ok(t)
-}
diff --git a/tests/error.rs b/tests/error.rs
index 997d9c2..ce0f151 100644
--- a/tests/error.rs
+++ b/tests/error.rs
@@ -251,5 +251,5 @@ error!(
 );
 error!(
     nothing_after_escape_inside_brackets,
-    "a { color: [\\", "Error: expected \"]\"."
+    "a { color: [\\", "Error: Expected expression."
 );