diff --git a/src/sugar.jl b/src/sugar.jl
index 640636b3..77b0c47b 100644
--- a/src/sugar.jl
+++ b/src/sugar.jl
@@ -249,6 +249,14 @@ function parse_obj_optics(ex)
             optic = :(Base.Fix1($f, $(esc(args[1]))))
         end
     else
+        for bad_symbol in [Symbol("&&"), Symbol("||")]
+            if isexpr(ex, bad_symbol)
+                msg = """The $bad_symbol operator is not supported inside optics.
+                      See also https://github.com/JuliaObjects/Accessors.jl/issues/160."
+                      """
+                error(msg)
+            end
+        end
         obj = esc(ex)
         return obj, ()
     end
diff --git a/test/test_optics.jl b/test/test_optics.jl
index 57b5bd61..9a3651ad 100644
--- a/test/test_optics.jl
+++ b/test/test_optics.jl
@@ -121,4 +121,9 @@ end
     end
 end
 
+@testset "Cannot parse optic _ && true #160" begin
+    res = @test_throws "The && operator is not supported inside optics." Accessors.opticmacro(identity, :(_ && true))
+    res = @test_throws "The || operator is not supported inside optics." Accessors.opticmacro(identity, :(f(g(_) || a(x))))
+end
+
 end#module