diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/elisp-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/elisp-mode.el
index 77bf3f1ed1..0130c002da 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/elisp-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/elisp-mode.el
@@ -697,7 +697,8 @@ elisp-completion-at-point
                                      (let ((c (char-after)))
                                        (if (eq c ?\() ?\(
                                          (if (memq (char-syntax c) '(?w ?_))
-                                             (read (current-buffer))))))
+                                             (and (looking-at "\\(?:\\sw\\|\\s_\\)+")
+                                                  (intern-soft (match-string 0)))))))
                             (error nil))))
                      (pcase parent
                        ;; FIXME: Rather than hardcode special cases here,