diff --git a/src/Lean/Elab/Binders.lean b/src/Lean/Elab/Binders.lean
index 6d8e79cddf..d441cd0285 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Elab/Binders.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Elab/Binders.lean
@@ -302,16 +302,28 @@ partial def expandFunBinders (binders : Array Syntax) (body : Syntax) : MacroM (
         if binderBody.isNone then
           processAsPattern ()
         else
-          let idents  := binderBody[0]
+          let term    := binderBody[0]
           let special := binderBody[1]
           if special.isNone then
-            processAsPattern ()
+            match (← getFunBinderIds? term) with
+            | some idents =>
+              -- `fun (x ...) ...` ~> `fun (x : _) ...`
+              -- Interpret `(x ...)` as sequence of binders instead of pattern only if none of the idents
+              -- are defined in the global scope. Technically, it would be sufficient to only check the
+              -- first ident to be sure that the syntax cannot possibly be a valid pattern. However, for
+              -- consistency we apply the same check to all idents so that the possibility of shadowing
+              -- a global decl is identical for all of them.
+              if (← idents.allM (List.isEmpty <$> Macro.resolveGlobalName ·.getId)) then
+                loop body (i+1) (newBinders ++ idents.map (mkExplicitBinder · (mkHole binder)))
+              else
+                processAsPattern ()
+            | none => processAsPattern ()
           else if special[0].getKind != `Lean.Parser.Term.typeAscription then
             processAsPattern ()
           else
             -- typeAscription := `:` term
             let type := special[0][1]
-            match (← getFunBinderIds? idents) with
+            match (← getFunBinderIds? term) with
             | some idents => loop body (i+1) (newBinders ++ idents.map (fun ident => mkExplicitBinder ident type))
             | none        => processAsPattern ()
       | Syntax.ident .. =>
diff --git a/tests/lean/funParen.lean b/tests/lean/funParen.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..75397f4b2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/funParen.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#check fun (α) [Repr α] => repr (α := α)
+#check fun (x y) => x
+-- conservatively interpret as pattern
+#check fun (x id) => x
diff --git a/tests/lean/funParen.lean.expected.out b/tests/lean/funParen.lean.expected.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c53c244d45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/funParen.lean.expected.out
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+fun α [Repr α] => repr : (α : Type u_1) → [inst : Repr α] → α → Std.Format
+fun x y => x : (x : ?m) → ?m x → ?m
+funParen.lean:4:12-4:16: error: invalid pattern, constructor or constant marked with '[matchPattern]' expected
+fun x => ?m x : (x : ?m) → ?m x