diff --git a/compiler/src/dmd/parse.d b/compiler/src/dmd/parse.d
index a7a930335ad5..fa24cb3280af 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dmd/parse.d
+++ b/compiler/src/dmd/parse.d
@@ -6791,7 +6791,7 @@ class Parser(AST, Lexer = dmd.lexer.Lexer) : Lexer
                 {
 
                     if (commaExpected)
-                        error("comma expected separating field initializers");
+                        error("incorrect syntax for associative array, expected `[]`, found `{}`");
                     const t = peek(&token);
                     Identifier id;
                     if (t.value == TOK.colon)
@@ -6822,7 +6822,7 @@ class Parser(AST, Lexer = dmd.lexer.Lexer) : Lexer
 
                 default:
                     if (commaExpected)
-                        error("comma expected separating field initializers");
+                        error("incorrect syntax for associative array, expected `[]`, found `{}`");
                     auto value = parseInitializer();
                     _is.addInit(null, value);
                     commaExpected = true;
diff --git a/compiler/test/fail_compilation/test24745.d b/compiler/test/fail_compilation/test24745.d
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9c7ea59929a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/test/fail_compilation/test24745.d
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// https://issues.dlang.org/show_bug.cgi?id=24745
+
+/*
+TEST_OUTPUT:
+---
+fail_compilation/test24745.d(17): Error: incorrect syntax for associative array, expected `[]`, found `{}`
+fail_compilation/test24745.d(17): Error: expression expected, not `:`
+fail_compilation/test24745.d(17): Error: incorrect syntax for associative array, expected `[]`, found `{}`
+fail_compilation/test24745.d(17): Error: incorrect syntax for associative array, expected `[]`, found `{}`
+fail_compilation/test24745.d(17): Error: expression expected, not `:`
+fail_compilation/test24745.d(17): Error: incorrect syntax for associative array, expected `[]`, found `{}`
+---
+*/
+
+void main()
+{
+    int[int] f = {1: 1, 2: 2};
+}