diff --git a/src/tokenizer/index.js b/src/tokenizer/index.js
index e116cc1cca..73388d8485 100644
--- a/src/tokenizer/index.js
+++ b/src/tokenizer/index.js
@@ -391,8 +391,8 @@ export default class Tokenizer extends LocationParser {
     let width = 1;
     let next = this.input.charCodeAt(this.state.pos + 1);
 
-    if (next === 42) {
-      // '*'
+    // Exponentiation operator **
+    if (code === 42 && next === 42) {
       width++;
       next = this.input.charCodeAt(this.state.pos + 2);
       type = tt.exponent;
diff --git a/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/13/actual.js b/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/13/actual.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..109dfad526
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/13/actual.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1 %* 1;
diff --git a/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/13/options.json b/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/13/options.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..05dbd26b33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/13/options.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "throws": "Unexpected token (1:3)"
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/14/actual.js b/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/14/actual.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a32ddba1b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/14/actual.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+a %*= 1;
diff --git a/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/14/options.json b/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/14/options.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..05dbd26b33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/es2016/exponentiation-operator/14/options.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "throws": "Unexpected token (1:3)"
+}