diff --git a/src/Lean/Elab/Syntax.lean b/src/Lean/Elab/Syntax.lean
index 816d1acdf7..f5459abb5e 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Elab/Syntax.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Elab/Syntax.lean
@@ -429,11 +429,11 @@ def elabSyntax (stx : Syntax) : CommandElabM Name := do
   discard <| elabSyntax stx
 
 @[builtin_command_elab «syntaxAbbrev»] def elabSyntaxAbbrev : CommandElab := fun stx => do
-  let `($[$doc?:docComment]? syntax $declName:ident := $[$ps:stx]*) ← pure stx | throwUnsupportedSyntax
+  let `($[$doc?:docComment]? $[$vis?:visibility]? syntax $declName:ident := $[$ps:stx]*) ← pure stx | throwUnsupportedSyntax
   -- TODO: nonatomic names
   let (val, _) ← runTermElabM fun _ => Term.toParserDescr (mkNullNode ps) Name.anonymous
   let stxNodeKind := (← getCurrNamespace) ++ declName.getId
-  let stx' ← `($[$doc?:docComment]? meta def $declName:ident : Lean.ParserDescr := ParserDescr.nodeWithAntiquot $(quote (toString declName.getId)) $(quote stxNodeKind) $val)
+  let stx' ← `($[$doc?:docComment]? $[$vis?:visibility]? meta def $declName:ident : Lean.ParserDescr := ParserDescr.nodeWithAntiquot $(quote (toString declName.getId)) $(quote stxNodeKind) $val)
   withMacroExpansion stx stx' <| elabCommand stx'
 
 def checkRuleKind (given expected : SyntaxNodeKind) : Bool :=
diff --git a/src/Lean/Parser/Syntax.lean b/src/Lean/Parser/Syntax.lean
index a019237788..ed96795b8d 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Parser/Syntax.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Parser/Syntax.lean
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def notationItem := ppSpace >> withAntiquot (mkAntiquot "notationItem" decl_name
   optional docComment >> optional Term.«attributes» >> Term.attrKind >>
   "syntax " >> optPrecedence >> optNamedName >> optNamedPrio >> many1 (ppSpace >> syntaxParser argPrec) >> " : " >> ident
 @[builtin_command_parser] def syntaxAbbrev  := leading_parser
-  optional docComment >> "syntax " >> ident >> " := " >> many1 syntaxParser
+  optional docComment >> optional visibility >> "syntax " >> ident >> " := " >> many1 syntaxParser
 def catBehaviorBoth   := leading_parser nonReservedSymbol "both"
 def catBehaviorSymbol := leading_parser nonReservedSymbol "symbol"
 def catBehavior := optional (" (" >> nonReservedSymbol "behavior" >> " := " >> (catBehaviorBoth <|> catBehaviorSymbol) >> ")")