diff --git a/kitty/parser.c b/kitty/parser.c
index 73a0b3c69..87392dbd1 100644
--- a/kitty/parser.c
+++ b/kitty/parser.c
@@ -821,12 +821,13 @@ dispatch_dcs(Screen *screen, PyObject DUMP_UNUSED *dump_callback) {
             }
             break;
         case PENDING_MODE_CHAR:
-            if (screen->parser_buf_pos > 2 && (screen->parser_buf[1] == '1' || screen->parser_buf[2] == '2') && screen->parser_buf[2] == 's') {
+            if (screen->parser_buf_pos > 2 && (screen->parser_buf[1] == '1' || screen->parser_buf[1] == '2') && screen->parser_buf[2] == 's') {
                 if (screen->parser_buf[1] == '1') {
                     screen->pending_mode.activated_at = monotonic();
                     REPORT_COMMAND(screen_start_pending_mode);
                 } else {
                     // ignore stop without matching start
+                    REPORT_ERROR("Pending mode stop command issued while not in pending mode");
                     REPORT_COMMAND(screen_stop_pending_mode);
                 }
             } else {