diff --git a/internal/lsp/lsp_test.go b/internal/lsp/lsp_test.go
index c1078d3f..73d614e3 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/lsp_test.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/lsp_test.go
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ func (d definitions) test(t *testing.T, s *server, typ bool) {
 			locs, err = s.Definition(context.Background(), params)
 		}
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatal(err)
+			t.Fatalf("failed for %s: %v", src, err)
 		}
 		if len(locs) != 1 {
 			t.Errorf("got %d locations for definition, expected 1", len(locs))
diff --git a/internal/lsp/source/definition.go b/internal/lsp/source/definition.go
index 9d9ea173..27dc0d1a 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/source/definition.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/source/definition.go
@@ -42,7 +42,11 @@ func Identifier(ctx context.Context, v View, f File, pos token.Pos) (*Identifier
 	// If the position is not an identifier but immediately follows
 	// an identifier or selector period (as is common when
 	// requesting a completion), use the path to the preceding node.
-	return identifier(ctx, v, f, pos-1)
+	result, err := identifier(ctx, v, f, pos-1)
+	if result == nil && err == nil {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("no identifier found")
+	}
+	return result, err
 }
 
 func (i *IdentifierInfo) Hover(q types.Qualifier) (string, error) {