diff --git a/lib/std/testing.zig b/lib/std/testing.zig
index 1c6c6397964b..dbd4f6027f59 100644
--- a/lib/std/testing.zig
+++ b/lib/std/testing.zig
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ fn expectEqualDeepInner(comptime T: type, expected: T, actual: T) error{TestExpe
             }
         },
 
-        .array => |_| {
+        .array => {
             if (expected.len != actual.len) {
                 print("Array len not the same, expected {d}, found {d}\n", .{ expected.len, actual.len });
                 return error.TestExpectedEqual;
diff --git a/lib/std/zig/AstGen.zig b/lib/std/zig/AstGen.zig
index 8a8a88db6f93..495f853eba98 100644
--- a/lib/std/zig/AstGen.zig
+++ b/lib/std/zig/AstGen.zig
@@ -7882,8 +7882,10 @@ fn switchExpr(
             var payload_sub_scope: *Scope = undefined;
             if (mem.eql(u8, ident_slice, "_")) {
                 if (capture_is_ref) {
+                    // |*_, tag| is invalid, so we can fail early
                     return astgen.failTok(payload_token, "pointer modifier invalid on discard", .{});
                 }
+                capture = .none;
                 payload_sub_scope = &case_scope.base;
             } else {
                 const capture_name = try astgen.identAsString(ident);
@@ -7903,11 +7905,15 @@ fn switchExpr(
 
             const tag_token = if (tree.tokenTag(ident + 1) == .comma)
                 ident + 2
-            else
-                break :blk payload_sub_scope;
+            else if (capture == .none) {
+                // discarding the capture is only valid iff the tag is captured
+                // whether the tag capture is discarded is handled below
+                return astgen.failTok(payload_token, "discard of capture; omit it instead", .{});
+            } else break :blk payload_sub_scope;
+
             const tag_slice = tree.tokenSlice(tag_token);
             if (mem.eql(u8, tag_slice, "_")) {
-                try astgen.appendErrorTok(tag_token, "discard of tag capture; omit it instead", .{});
+                return astgen.failTok(tag_token, "discard of tag capture; omit it instead", .{});
             } else if (case.inline_token == null) {
                 return astgen.failTok(tag_token, "tag capture on non-inline prong", .{});
             }
diff --git a/src/Sema.zig b/src/Sema.zig
index 81d7ed43cd81..3d5148694c6f 100644
--- a/src/Sema.zig
+++ b/src/Sema.zig
@@ -11338,7 +11338,9 @@ fn zirSwitchBlock(sema: *Sema, block: *Block, inst: Zir.Inst.Index, operand_is_r
                 });
             }
             try sema.validateRuntimeValue(block, operand_src, maybe_ptr);
-            const operand_alloc = if (extra.data.bits.any_non_inline_capture) a: {
+            const operand_alloc = if (extra.data.bits.any_non_inline_capture or
+                extra.data.bits.any_has_tag_capture)
+            a: {
                 const operand_ptr_ty = try pt.singleMutPtrType(sema.typeOf(maybe_ptr));
                 const operand_alloc = try block.addTy(.alloc, operand_ptr_ty);
                 _ = try block.addBinOp(.store, operand_alloc, maybe_ptr);
diff --git a/test/behavior/switch_loop.zig b/test/behavior/switch_loop.zig
index 1d82957d396f..2f2aa7c3e93e 100644
--- a/test/behavior/switch_loop.zig
+++ b/test/behavior/switch_loop.zig
@@ -273,3 +273,30 @@ test "switch loop on non-exhaustive enum" {
     try S.doTheTest();
     try comptime S.doTheTest();
 }
+
+test "switch loop with discarded tag capture" {
+    if (builtin.zig_backend == .stage2_aarch64) return error.SkipZigTest;
+    if (builtin.zig_backend == .stage2_c) return error.SkipZigTest;
+    if (builtin.zig_backend == .stage2_spirv) return error.SkipZigTest;
+
+    const S = struct {
+        const U = union(enum) {
+            a: u32,
+            b: u32,
+            c: u32,
+        };
+
+        fn doTheTest() void {
+            const a: U = .{ .a = 10 };
+            blk: switch (a) {
+                inline .b => |_, tag| {
+                    _ = tag;
+                    continue :blk .{ .c = 20 };
+                },
+                else => {},
+            }
+        }
+    };
+    S.doTheTest();
+    comptime S.doTheTest();
+}
diff --git a/test/cases/compile_errors/switch_loop_discarded_capture.zig b/test/cases/compile_errors/switch_loop_discarded_capture.zig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bca1d9e85c3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cases/compile_errors/switch_loop_discarded_capture.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+export fn foo() void {
+    const S = struct {
+        fn doTheTest() void {
+            blk: switch (@as(u8, 'a')) {
+                '1' => |_| continue :blk '1',
+                else => {},
+            }
+        }
+    };
+    S.doTheTest();
+    comptime S.doTheTest();
+}
+
+// error
+//
+// :5:25: error: discard of capture; omit it instead