diff --git a/src/Esprima/JavascriptParser.cs b/src/Esprima/JavascriptParser.cs
index fd2b8869..107cb7a2 100644
--- a/src/Esprima/JavascriptParser.cs
+++ b/src/Esprima/JavascriptParser.cs
@@ -1860,10 +1860,14 @@ private Expression ParseUnaryExpression()
 
         private Expression ParseExponentiationExpression()
         {
-            var startToken = _lookahead;
-
-            var expr = InheritCoverGrammar(parseUnaryExpression);
-            if (expr.Type != Nodes.UnaryExpression && Match("**"))
+            var startToken = _lookahead;
+
+            var isLeftParenthesized = this.Match("(");
+            var expr = InheritCoverGrammar(parseUnaryExpression);
+
+            var exponentAllowed = expr.Type != Nodes.UnaryExpression || isLeftParenthesized;
+
+            if (exponentAllowed && Match("**"))
             {
                 NextToken();
                 _context.IsAssignmentTarget = false;