diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/PackageFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/PackageFactory.java
index c1127b4..62cd394 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/PackageFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/PackageFactory.java
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.SyntaxTreeVisitor;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.Type;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.Type.ConversionException;
+import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.ValidationEnvironment;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.vfs.FileSystem;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.vfs.FileSystemUtils;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.vfs.Path;
@@ -1769,6 +1770,10 @@
         }
       }
 
+      if (!ValidationEnvironment.checkBuildSyntax(buildFileAST.getStatements(), eventHandler)) {
+        pkgBuilder.setContainsErrors();
+      }
+
       // TODO(bazel-team): (2009) the invariant "if errors are reported, mark the package
       // as containing errors" is strewn all over this class.  Refactor to use an
       // event sensor--and see if we can simplify the calling code in
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/WorkspaceFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/WorkspaceFactory.java
index bc72aaf..adb4983 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/WorkspaceFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/WorkspaceFactory.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.SkylarkUtils;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.SkylarkUtils.Phase;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.StarlarkSemantics;
+import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.ValidationEnvironment;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.vfs.Path;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.vfs.Root;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.vfs.RootedPath;
@@ -204,7 +205,9 @@
         throw new IllegalStateException(e);
       }
     }
-    if (!ast.exec(workspaceEnv, localReporter)) {
+
+    if (!ValidationEnvironment.checkBuildSyntax(ast.getStatements(), localReporter)
+        || !ast.exec(workspaceEnv, localReporter)) {
       localReporter.handle(Event.error("Error evaluating WORKSPACE file"));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/BuildFileAST.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/BuildFileAST.java
index 0da3c30..5f28614 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/BuildFileAST.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/BuildFileAST.java
@@ -295,8 +295,7 @@
       EventHandler eventHandler) {
     Parser.ParseResult result = Parser.parseFile(input, eventHandler);
     return create(
-            preludeStatements, result, /* contentHashCode= */ null, repositoryMapping, eventHandler)
-        .validateBuildFile(eventHandler);
+        preludeStatements, result, /* contentHashCode= */ null, repositoryMapping, eventHandler);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -311,24 +310,22 @@
       EventHandler eventHandler) {
     Parser.ParseResult result = Parser.parseFile(input, eventHandler);
     return create(
-            preludeStatements,
-            result,
-            /* contentHashCode= */ null,
-            repositoryMapping,
-            eventHandler,
-            true)
-        .validateBuildFile(eventHandler);
+        preludeStatements,
+        result,
+        /* contentHashCode= */ null,
+        repositoryMapping,
+        eventHandler,
+        true);
   }
 
   public static BuildFileAST parseBuildFile(ParserInputSource input, EventHandler eventHandler) {
     Parser.ParseResult result = Parser.parseFile(input, eventHandler);
     return create(
-            /* preludeStatements= */ ImmutableList.<Statement>of(),
-            result,
-            /* contentHashCode= */ null,
-            /* repositoryMapping= */ ImmutableMap.of(),
-            eventHandler)
-        .validateBuildFile(eventHandler);
+        /* preludeStatements= */ ImmutableList.<Statement>of(),
+        result,
+        /* contentHashCode= */ null,
+        /* repositoryMapping= */ ImmutableMap.of(),
+        eventHandler);
   }
 
   public static BuildFileAST parseSkylarkFile(
@@ -389,19 +386,6 @@
     return new BuildFileAST(statements, true, contentHashCode, getLocation(), comments, imports);
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Run static checks for a BUILD file.
-   *
-   * @return a new AST (or the same), with the containsErrors flag updated.
-   */
-  public BuildFileAST validateBuildFile(EventHandler eventHandler) {
-    boolean valid = ValidationEnvironment.checkBuildSyntax(statements, eventHandler);
-    if (valid || containsErrors) {
-      return this;
-    }
-    return new BuildFileAST(statements, true, contentHashCode, getLocation(), comments, imports);
-  }
-
   public static BuildFileAST parseString(EventHandler eventHandler, String... content) {
     String str = Joiner.on("\n").join(content);
     ParserInputSource input = ParserInputSource.create(str, PathFragment.EMPTY_FRAGMENT);
@@ -414,10 +398,6 @@
         eventHandler);
   }
 
-  public static BuildFileAST parseBuildString(EventHandler eventHandler, String... content) {
-    return parseString(eventHandler, content).validateBuildFile(eventHandler);
-  }
-
   /**
    * Parse the specified build file, without building the AST.
    *
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/EvaluationTest.java b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/EvaluationTest.java
index 6ee8f87..df0847c 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/EvaluationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/EvaluationTest.java
@@ -678,4 +678,34 @@
                 + "replace(old, new, maxsplit = None) of 'string'",
             "'banana'.replace('a', 'o', 3, old='a')");
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testDefInBuild() throws Exception {
+    new BuildTest()
+        .testIfErrorContains(
+            "function definitions are not allowed in BUILD files", "def func(): pass");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testForStatementForbiddenInBuild() throws Exception {
+    new BuildTest().testIfErrorContains("for loops are not allowed", "for _ in []: pass");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testIfStatementForbiddenInBuild() throws Exception {
+    new BuildTest()
+        .testIfErrorContains("if statements are not allowed in BUILD files", "if False: pass");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testKwargsForbiddenInBuild() throws Exception {
+    new BuildTest()
+        .testIfErrorContains("**kwargs arguments are not allowed in BUILD files", "func(**dict)");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testArgsForbiddenInBuild() throws Exception {
+    new BuildTest()
+        .testIfErrorContains("*args arguments are not allowed in BUILD files", "func(*array)");
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ParserTest.java b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ParserTest.java
index d2c6e44..fdb855e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ParserTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/ParserTest.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 public class ParserTest extends EvaluationTestCase {
 
   private BuildFileAST parseFileWithComments(String... input) {
-    return BuildFileAST.parseBuildString(getEventHandler(), input);
+    return BuildFileAST.parseString(getEventHandler(), input);
   }
 
   /** Parses build code (not Skylark) */
@@ -1452,41 +1452,6 @@
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void testDefInBuild() throws Exception {
-    setFailFast(false);
-    parseFile("def func(): pass");
-    assertContainsError("function definitions are not allowed in BUILD files");
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void testForStatementForbiddenInBuild() throws Exception {
-    setFailFast(false);
-    parseFile("for _ in []: pass");
-    assertContainsError("for statements are not allowed in BUILD files");
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void testIfStatementForbiddenInBuild() throws Exception {
-    setFailFast(false);
-    parseFile("if False: pass");
-    assertContainsError("if statements are not allowed in BUILD files");
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void testKwargsForbiddenInBuild() throws Exception {
-    setFailFast(false);
-    parseFile("func(**dict)");
-    assertContainsError("**kwargs arguments are not allowed in BUILD files");
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void testArgsForbiddenInBuild() throws Exception {
-    setFailFast(false);
-    parseFile("func(*array)");
-    assertContainsError("*args arguments are not allowed in BUILD files");
-  }
-
-  @Test
   public void testArgumentAfterKwargs() throws Exception {
     setFailFast(false);
     parseFileForSkylark(
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/util/EvaluationTestCase.java b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/util/EvaluationTestCase.java
index be52ea8..88bc26e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/util/EvaluationTestCase.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/syntax/util/EvaluationTestCase.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.SkylarkUtils;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.SkylarkUtils.Phase;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.Statement;
+import com.google.devtools.build.lib.syntax.ValidationEnvironment;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.testutil.TestConstants;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.testutil.TestMode;
 import java.util.LinkedList;
@@ -199,7 +200,9 @@
     if (testMode == TestMode.SKYLARK) {
       return BuildFileAST.eval(env, input);
     }
-    return BuildFileAST.parseBuildString(env.getEventHandler(), input).eval(env);
+    BuildFileAST ast = BuildFileAST.parseString(env.getEventHandler(), input);
+    ValidationEnvironment.checkBuildSyntax(ast.getStatements(), env.getEventHandler());
+    return ast.eval(env);
   }
 
   public void checkEvalError(String msg, String... input) throws Exception {