diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/def.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/def.rs
index d866419e1c..c8371753a9 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/def.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/def.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-use nu_test_support::nu;
 use nu_test_support::playground::Playground;
+use nu_test_support::{nu, pipeline};
 use std::fs;
 
 #[test]
@@ -18,3 +18,15 @@ def e [arg] {echo $arg}
         assert!(actual.out.contains("My echo\\n\\n"));
     });
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn def_errors_with_multiple_short_flags() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+        cwd: ".", pipeline(
+        r#"
+        def test-command [ --long(-l)(-o) ] {}
+        "#
+    ));
+
+    assert!(actual.err.contains("expected one short flag"));
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs b/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs
index 941ea396b1..46c842beba 100644
--- a/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs
@@ -3126,6 +3126,10 @@ pub fn parse_signature_helper(
                                         var_id: Some(var_id),
                                         default_value: None,
                                     }));
+                                } else if flags.len() >= 3 {
+                                    error = error.or_else(|| {
+                                        Some(ParseError::Expected("one short flag".into(), span))
+                                    });
                                 } else {
                                     let short_flag = &flags[1];
                                     let short_flag = if !short_flag.starts_with(b"-")