diff --git a/src/cfengine_cli/lint.py b/src/cfengine_cli/lint.py
index 9c3944c..a23fa93 100644
--- a/src/cfengine_cli/lint.py
+++ b/src/cfengine_cli/lint.py
@@ -702,7 +702,13 @@ def _lint_node(
                     f"Error: Expected {len(params)} arguments, received {len(args)} for body '{call}' {location}"
                 )
                 return 1
-
+    if node.type == "half_promise":
+        if (n := node.prev_named_sibling) and n.type != "macro":
+            _highlight_range(node, lines)
+            print(
+                f"Error: Found promise attribute with no parent-promiser outside of a macro {location}"
+            )
+            return 1
     return 0
 
 
diff --git a/tests/lint/016_half_promises.cf b/tests/lint/016_half_promises.cf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c19abbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lint/016_half_promises.cf
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+bundle agent main
+{
+  vars:
+      "string"
+        string => $(bar);
+      "string"
+@if minimum_version(3.18)
+        string => $($(baz));
+@else
+        string => $($(baz));
+@endif
+}
diff --git a/tests/lint/016_half_promises.expected.txt b/tests/lint/016_half_promises.expected.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf4b6f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lint/016_half_promises.expected.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+
+        string => $(bar);
+        string => $(bar);
+        ^---------------^
+Error: Found promise attribute with no parent-promiser outside of a macro at tests/lint/016_half_promises.x.cf:6:9
+FAIL: tests/lint/016_half_promises.x.cf (1 error)
+Failure, 1 error in total.
diff --git a/tests/lint/016_half_promises.x.cf b/tests/lint/016_half_promises.x.cf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..35bddf7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lint/016_half_promises.x.cf
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+bundle agent main
+{
+  vars:
+      "string"
+        string => $(bar);
+        string => $(bar);
+      "string"
+@if minimum_version(3.18)
+        string => $($(baz));
+@else
+        string => $($(baz));
+@endif
+}