diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/ast2/AST2Tests.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/ast2/AST2Tests.java
index 392a223d728..89a8910ce3c 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/ast2/AST2Tests.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/ast2/AST2Tests.java
@@ -2735,7 +2735,7 @@ public class AST2Tests extends AST2BaseTest {
         buffer.append("q = p;\n"); //$NON-NLS-1$
         buffer.append("p = &((struct s){ j++ }); \n"); //$NON-NLS-1$
         buffer.append("}\n"); //$NON-NLS-1$
-        parse(buffer.toString(), ParserLanguage.C);
+        parse(buffer.toString(), ParserLanguage.C, false, true);
     }
 
     public void testBug84266() throws Exception {
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/c/GNUCSourceParser.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/c/GNUCSourceParser.java
index 35a45d2d2d0..e27a06d68d8 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/c/GNUCSourceParser.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/c/GNUCSourceParser.java
@@ -341,6 +341,10 @@ public class GNUCSourceParser extends AbstractGNUSourceCodeParser {
                     && (LT(1) == IToken.tIDENTIFIER || LT(1) == IToken.tLBRACKET)) {
 
                 if (LT(1) == IToken.tIDENTIFIER) {
+                	// fix for 84176: if reach identifier and it's not a designator then return empty designator list
+                	if (LT(2) != IToken.tCOLON)
+                		return designatorList;
+                	
                     IToken identifier = identifier();
                     int lastOffset = consume(IToken.tCOLON).getEndOffset();
                     ICASTFieldDesignator designator = createFieldDesignator();