diff --git a/src/index.d.ts b/src/index.d.ts
index 38a469b..f5e62f8 100644
--- a/src/index.d.ts
+++ b/src/index.d.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ export interface ParseOptions {
   templateOnly?: boolean;
   /**
    * Custom JS/TS parser. Called with the placeholder JS string
-   * (templates replaced with backtick expressions of equal length).
+   * (templates replaced with `void `...`` expressions, or `static{`...`}`
+   * blocks for class members, of equal length).
    * Must return at least `{ ast }`.
    */
   parser?: (placeholderJS: string) => { ast: ASTNode; [key: string]: unknown };
diff --git a/src/parse.js b/src/parse.js
index a41491e..4ce476c 100644
--- a/src/parse.js
+++ b/src/parse.js
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ const preprocessor = new Preprocessor();
 const PLACEHOLDER_TYPES = new Set([
   "ExpressionStatement",
   "StaticBlock",
-  "TemplateLiteral",
+  "UnaryExpression",
   "ExportDefaultDeclaration",
 ]);
 
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ export function toTree(source, options = {}) {
         setParent(ast, parent);
         // Recurse into the Glimmer subtree so visitors fire on its nodes too.
         // The Glimmer root's parentPath reflects its true JS parent — the
-        // placeholder (TemplateLiteral / StaticBlock) is an internal artifact.
+        // placeholder (UnaryExpression / StaticBlock) is an internal artifact.
         if (hasVisitors) walkWithKeys(ast, parentPath);
         return;
       }
@@ -348,9 +348,16 @@ export const parse = toTree;
  * Replaces <template>...</template> regions with placeholder expressions
  * of the same character length that are valid JS/TS.
  *
- * Expression templates become:  `content          ` (backtick, space-padded)
+ * Expression templates become:  void `content     ` (void + backtick, space-padded)
  * Class member templates become: static{`content  `} (static block, space-padded)
  *
+ * The `void` prefix matters at a statement start: a bare backtick literal
+ * after an unterminated expression statement continues it as a tagged
+ * template (`const y = x\n`...`` reads as `x`...``), whereas `void` cannot
+ * continue an expression, so automatic semicolon insertion applies exactly
+ * as it does for the real `<template>`. `void` is a keyword, so the
+ * placeholder also adds no identifier reference for scope analysis to see.
+ *
  * This format is compatible with all JS/TS parsers including
  * oxc-parser, @typescript-eslint/parser, and @babel/eslint-parser.
  */
@@ -381,8 +388,8 @@ function toPlaceholderJS(source, parseResults) {
       const spaces = tplLength - content.length - 10; // "static{`" + "`}" = 10
       parts.push(`static{\`${content}${" ".repeat(Math.max(0, spaces))}\`}`);
     } else {
-      const spaces = tplLength - content.length - 2; // "`" + "`" = 2
-      parts.push(`\`${content}${" ".repeat(Math.max(0, spaces))}\``);
+      const spaces = tplLength - content.length - 7; // "void `" + "`" = 7
+      parts.push(`void \`${content}${" ".repeat(Math.max(0, spaces))}\``);
     }
 
     cursor = end;
diff --git a/tests/custom-parser-ts.test.js b/tests/custom-parser-ts.test.js
index 35ed5aa..d3dfcab 100644
--- a/tests/custom-parser-ts.test.js
+++ b/tests/custom-parser-ts.test.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ describe("toTree — custom parser (typescript-eslint) — node identity", () =>
   it("preserves outer-AST node identity after a standalone template splice", () => {
     const source = `const Bar = () => <template></template>;`;
     // Snapshot ancestor references before toTree gets a chance to splice,
-    // and verify the placeholder is still a TemplateLiteral at that point.
+    // and verify the placeholder is still a `void` expression at that point.
     let origProgram, origDecl, origDtor, origArrow, origPlaceholder;
     const result = toTree(source, {
       parser: (js) => {
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ describe("toTree — custom parser (typescript-eslint) — node identity", () =>
         origDecl = origProgram.body[0]; // VariableDeclaration
         origDtor = origDecl.declarations[0]; // VariableDeclarator
         origArrow = origDtor.init; // ArrowFunctionExpression
-        origPlaceholder = origArrow.body; // TemplateLiteral (placeholder)
-        expect(origPlaceholder.type).toBe("TemplateLiteral");
+        origPlaceholder = origArrow.body; // UnaryExpression (placeholder)
+        expect(origPlaceholder.type).toBe("UnaryExpression");
         return parsed;
       },
     });
@@ -121,9 +121,9 @@ describe("toTree — custom parser (typescript-eslint) — templateInfos.placeho
     const result = toTree(source, {
       parser: (js) => {
         const parsed = tsParseForESLint(js);
-        // Capture the ArrowFunctionExpression body's placeholder (TemplateLiteral)
+        // Capture the ArrowFunctionExpression body's placeholder (UnaryExpression)
         capturedPlaceholder = parsed.ast.body[0].declarations[0].init.body;
-        expect(capturedPlaceholder.type).toBe("TemplateLiteral");
+        expect(capturedPlaceholder.type).toBe("UnaryExpression");
         return parsed;
       },
     });
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ describe("toTree — custom parser (typescript-eslint) — templateInfos.placeho
     // After: the GlimmerTemplate resolves to the placeholder's TS node.
     const glimmerTS = esMap.get(result.templateInfos[0].ast);
     expect(glimmerTS).toBeDefined();
-    // The placeholder was a TemplateLiteral (backtick) whose TS node is a
-    // string-typed expression — good enough for typed rules.
+    // The placeholder was a `void `...`` expression; its TS node stands in
+    // for the template for typed rules.
     expect(glimmerTS).toBe(esMap.get(result.templateInfos[0].placeholder));
   });
 });
diff --git a/tests/parse.test.js b/tests/parse.test.js
index bd31f4b..cc37a64 100644
--- a/tests/parse.test.js
+++ b/tests/parse.test.js
@@ -161,6 +161,29 @@ describe("parse", () => {
     ]);
   });
 
+  it("keeps a statement-start template separate from an unterminated expression before it", () => {
+    // Without a semicolon after `x`, a bare backtick placeholder would read
+    // as the tagged template `x`...``, swallowing the template.
+    const source = ["const x = 1", "const y = x", "<template>{{x}}</template>", ""].join("\n");
+    const ast = parse(source);
+
+    expect(ast.program.body.map((node) => node.type)).toEqual([
+      "VariableDeclaration",
+      "VariableDeclaration",
+      "GlimmerTemplate",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps a statement-start template separate from a call before it", () => {
+    const source = ["setup()", "<template>hi</template>", ""].join("\n");
+    const ast = parse(source);
+
+    expect(ast.program.body.map((node) => node.type)).toEqual([
+      "ExpressionStatement",
+      "GlimmerTemplate",
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it("handles multiple classes with templates", () => {
     const source = `class A extends Component {
   <template><div>A</div></template>