diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/resources/test/fixtures/flake8_commas/COM81.py b/crates/ruff_linter/resources/test/fixtures/flake8_commas/COM81.py
index 833c74ab0d999..d257b263173ba 100644
--- a/crates/ruff_linter/resources/test/fixtures/flake8_commas/COM81.py
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/resources/test/fixtures/flake8_commas/COM81.py
@@ -565,10 +565,6 @@ def foo(
     **kwargs
 }
 
-(
-    *args
-)
-
 {
     *args
 }
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/resources/test/fixtures/flake8_commas/COM81_syntax_error.py b/crates/ruff_linter/resources/test/fixtures/flake8_commas/COM81_syntax_error.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..16a9bbc121f44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/resources/test/fixtures/flake8_commas/COM81_syntax_error.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+(
+    *args
+)
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/src/linter.rs b/crates/ruff_linter/src/linter.rs
index 960743e3e751a..11017d3a749eb 100644
--- a/crates/ruff_linter/src/linter.rs
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/src/linter.rs
@@ -288,23 +288,30 @@ pub fn check_path(
         }
     }
 
-    // Remove fixes for any rules marked as unfixable.
-    for diagnostic in &mut diagnostics {
-        if !settings.rules.should_fix(diagnostic.kind.rule()) {
-            diagnostic.fix = None;
+    if parsed.is_valid() {
+        // Remove fixes for any rules marked as unfixable.
+        for diagnostic in &mut diagnostics {
+            if !settings.rules.should_fix(diagnostic.kind.rule()) {
+                diagnostic.fix = None;
+            }
         }
-    }
 
-    // Update fix applicability to account for overrides
-    if !settings.fix_safety.is_empty() {
-        for diagnostic in &mut diagnostics {
-            if let Some(fix) = diagnostic.fix.take() {
-                let fixed_applicability = settings
-                    .fix_safety
-                    .resolve_applicability(diagnostic.kind.rule(), fix.applicability());
-                diagnostic.set_fix(fix.with_applicability(fixed_applicability));
+        // Update fix applicability to account for overrides
+        if !settings.fix_safety.is_empty() {
+            for diagnostic in &mut diagnostics {
+                if let Some(fix) = diagnostic.fix.take() {
+                    let fixed_applicability = settings
+                        .fix_safety
+                        .resolve_applicability(diagnostic.kind.rule(), fix.applicability());
+                    diagnostic.set_fix(fix.with_applicability(fixed_applicability));
+                }
             }
         }
+    } else {
+        // Avoid fixing in case the source code contains syntax errors.
+        for diagnostic in &mut diagnostics {
+            diagnostic.fix = None;
+        }
     }
 
     diagnostics
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/mod.rs b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/mod.rs
index c7a274f1b3da7..1e4f88ca35568 100644
--- a/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/mod.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ mod tests {
     use crate::{assert_messages, settings};
 
     #[test_case(Path::new("COM81.py"))]
+    #[test_case(Path::new("COM81_syntax_error.py"))]
     fn rules(path: &Path) -> Result<()> {
         let snapshot = path.to_string_lossy().into_owned();
         let diagnostics = test_path(
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__flake8_commas__tests__COM81.py.snap b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__flake8_commas__tests__COM81.py.snap
index 51b3ede78fff1..1955cf08d063f 100644
--- a/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__flake8_commas__tests__COM81.py.snap
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__flake8_commas__tests__COM81.py.snap
@@ -796,192 +796,184 @@ COM81.py:565:13: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
     565 |+    **kwargs,
 566 566 | }
 567 567 | 
-568 568 | (
+568 568 | {
 
-COM81.py:569:5: SyntaxError: Starred expression cannot be used here
+COM81.py:569:10: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
     |
-568 | (
+568 | {
 569 |     *args
-    |     ^
-570 | )
+    |           COM812
+570 | }
     |
+    = help: Add trailing comma
+
+ℹ Safe fix
+566 566 | }
+567 567 | 
+568 568 | {
+569     |-    *args
+    569 |+    *args,
+570 570 | }
+571 571 | 
+572 572 | [
 
 COM81.py:573:10: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
     |
-572 | {
+572 | [
 573 |     *args
     |           COM812
-574 | }
+574 | ]
     |
     = help: Add trailing comma
 
 ℹ Safe fix
-570 570 | )
+570 570 | }
 571 571 | 
-572 572 | {
+572 572 | [
 573     |-    *args
     573 |+    *args,
-574 574 | }
+574 574 | ]
 575 575 | 
-576 576 | [
+576 576 | def foo(
 
-COM81.py:577:10: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
+COM81.py:579:10: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
     |
-576 | [
-577 |     *args
+577 |     ham,
+578 |     spam,
+579 |     *args
     |           COM812
-578 | ]
+580 |     ):
+581 |     pass
     |
     = help: Add trailing comma
 
 ℹ Safe fix
-574 574 | }
-575 575 | 
-576 576 | [
-577     |-    *args
-    577 |+    *args,
-578 578 | ]
-579 579 | 
-580 580 | def foo(
-
-COM81.py:583:10: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
-    |
-581 |     ham,
-582 |     spam,
-583 |     *args
-    |           COM812
-584 |     ):
-585 |     pass
-    |
-    = help: Add trailing comma
+576 576 | def foo(
+577 577 |     ham,
+578 578 |     spam,
+579     |-    *args
+    579 |+    *args,
+580 580 |     ):
+581 581 |     pass
+582 582 | 
 
-ℹ Safe fix
-580 580 | def foo(
-581 581 |     ham,
-582 582 |     spam,
-583     |-    *args
-    583 |+    *args,
-584 584 |     ):
-585 585 |     pass
-586 586 | 
-
-COM81.py:590:13: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
+COM81.py:586:13: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
     |
-588 |     ham,
-589 |     spam,
-590 |     **kwargs
+584 |     ham,
+585 |     spam,
+586 |     **kwargs
     |              COM812
-591 |     ):
-592 |     pass
+587 |     ):
+588 |     pass
     |
     = help: Add trailing comma
 
 ℹ Safe fix
-587 587 | def foo(
-588 588 |     ham,
-589 589 |     spam,
-590     |-    **kwargs
-    590 |+    **kwargs,
-591 591 |     ):
-592 592 |     pass
-593 593 | 
+583 583 | def foo(
+584 584 |     ham,
+585 585 |     spam,
+586     |-    **kwargs
+    586 |+    **kwargs,
+587 587 |     ):
+588 588 |     pass
+589 589 | 
 
-COM81.py:598:15: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
+COM81.py:594:15: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
     |
-596 |     spam,
-597 |     *args,
-598 |     kwarg_only
+592 |     spam,
+593 |     *args,
+594 |     kwarg_only
     |                COM812
-599 |     ):
-600 |     pass
+595 |     ):
+596 |     pass
     |
     = help: Add trailing comma
 
 ℹ Safe fix
-595 595 |     ham,
-596 596 |     spam,
-597 597 |     *args,
-598     |-    kwarg_only
-    598 |+    kwarg_only,
-599 599 |     ):
-600 600 |     pass
-601 601 | 
+591 591 |     ham,
+592 592 |     spam,
+593 593 |     *args,
+594     |-    kwarg_only
+    594 |+    kwarg_only,
+595 595 |     ):
+596 596 |     pass
+597 597 | 
 
-COM81.py:627:20: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
+COM81.py:623:20: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
     |
-625 |     foo,
-626 |     bar,
-627 |     **{'ham': spam}
+621 |     foo,
+622 |     bar,
+623 |     **{'ham': spam}
     |                     COM812
-628 | )
+624 | )
     |
     = help: Add trailing comma
 
 ℹ Safe fix
-624 624 | result = function(
-625 625 |     foo,
-626 626 |     bar,
-627     |-    **{'ham': spam}
-    627 |+    **{'ham': spam},
-628 628 | )
-629 629 | 
-630 630 | # Make sure the COM812 and UP034 rules don't fix simultaneously and cause a syntax error.
+620 620 | result = function(
+621 621 |     foo,
+622 622 |     bar,
+623     |-    **{'ham': spam}
+    623 |+    **{'ham': spam},
+624 624 | )
+625 625 | 
+626 626 | # Make sure the COM812 and UP034 rules don't fix simultaneously and cause a syntax error.
 
-COM81.py:632:42: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
+COM81.py:628:42: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
     |
-630 | # Make sure the COM812 and UP034 rules don't fix simultaneously and cause a syntax error.
-631 | the_first_one = next(
-632 |     (i for i in range(10) if i // 2 == 0)  # COM812 fix should include the final bracket
+626 | # Make sure the COM812 and UP034 rules don't fix simultaneously and cause a syntax error.
+627 | the_first_one = next(
+628 |     (i for i in range(10) if i // 2 == 0)  # COM812 fix should include the final bracket
     |                                           COM812
-633 | )
+629 | )
     |
     = help: Add trailing comma
 
 ℹ Safe fix
-629 629 | 
-630 630 | # Make sure the COM812 and UP034 rules don't fix simultaneously and cause a syntax error.
-631 631 | the_first_one = next(
-632     |-    (i for i in range(10) if i // 2 == 0)  # COM812 fix should include the final bracket
-    632 |+    (i for i in range(10) if i // 2 == 0),  # COM812 fix should include the final bracket
-633 633 | )
-634 634 | 
-635 635 | foo = namedtuple(
+625 625 | 
+626 626 | # Make sure the COM812 and UP034 rules don't fix simultaneously and cause a syntax error.
+627 627 | the_first_one = next(
+628     |-    (i for i in range(10) if i // 2 == 0)  # COM812 fix should include the final bracket
+    628 |+    (i for i in range(10) if i // 2 == 0),  # COM812 fix should include the final bracket
+629 629 | )
+630 630 | 
+631 631 | foo = namedtuple(
 
-COM81.py:644:46: COM819 [*] Trailing comma prohibited
+COM81.py:640:46: COM819 [*] Trailing comma prohibited
     |
-643 | # F-strings
-644 | kwargs.pop("remove", f"this {trailing_comma}",)
+639 | # F-strings
+640 | kwargs.pop("remove", f"this {trailing_comma}",)
     |                                              ^ COM819
-645 | 
-646 | raise Exception(
+641 | 
+642 | raise Exception(
     |
     = help: Remove trailing comma
 
 ℹ Safe fix
-641 641 | )
-642 642 | 
-643 643 | # F-strings
-644     |-kwargs.pop("remove", f"this {trailing_comma}",)
-    644 |+kwargs.pop("remove", f"this {trailing_comma}")
-645 645 | 
-646 646 | raise Exception(
-647 647 |     "first", extra=f"Add trailing comma here ->"
+637 637 | )
+638 638 | 
+639 639 | # F-strings
+640     |-kwargs.pop("remove", f"this {trailing_comma}",)
+    640 |+kwargs.pop("remove", f"this {trailing_comma}")
+641 641 | 
+642 642 | raise Exception(
+643 643 |     "first", extra=f"Add trailing comma here ->"
 
-COM81.py:647:49: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
+COM81.py:643:49: COM812 [*] Trailing comma missing
     |
-646 | raise Exception(
-647 |     "first", extra=f"Add trailing comma here ->"
+642 | raise Exception(
+643 |     "first", extra=f"Add trailing comma here ->"
     |                                                  COM812
-648 | )
+644 | )
     |
     = help: Add trailing comma
 
 ℹ Safe fix
-644 644 | kwargs.pop("remove", f"this {trailing_comma}",)
+640 640 | kwargs.pop("remove", f"this {trailing_comma}",)
+641 641 | 
+642 642 | raise Exception(
+643     |-    "first", extra=f"Add trailing comma here ->"
+    643 |+    "first", extra=f"Add trailing comma here ->",
+644 644 | )
 645 645 | 
-646 646 | raise Exception(
-647     |-    "first", extra=f"Add trailing comma here ->"
-    647 |+    "first", extra=f"Add trailing comma here ->",
-648 648 | )
-649 649 | 
-650 650 | assert False, f"<- This is not a trailing comma"
+646 646 | assert False, f"<- This is not a trailing comma"
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__flake8_commas__tests__COM81_syntax_error.py.snap b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__flake8_commas__tests__COM81_syntax_error.py.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..d33492fb6bf23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__flake8_commas__tests__COM81_syntax_error.py.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+source: crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/flake8_commas/mod.rs
+---
+COM81_syntax_error.py:2:5: SyntaxError: Starred expression cannot be used here
+  |
+1 | (
+2 |     *args
+  |     ^
+3 | )
+  |
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/src/test.rs b/crates/ruff_linter/src/test.rs
index 55a259ff4fe90..a4ac856499b7b 100644
--- a/crates/ruff_linter/src/test.rs
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/src/test.rs
@@ -204,12 +204,12 @@ pub(crate) fn test_contents<'a>(
                     print_syntax_errors(parsed.errors(), path, &locator, &transformed);
 
                 panic!(
-                    r#"Fixed source has a syntax error where the source document does not. This is a bug in one of the generated fixes:
+                    "Fixed source has a syntax error where the source document does not. This is a bug in one of the generated fixes:
 {syntax_errors}
 Last generated fixes:
 {fixes}
 Source with applied fixes:
-{}"#,
+{}",
                     transformed.source_code()
                 );
             }
@@ -228,7 +228,12 @@ Source with applied fixes:
         .into_iter()
         .map(|diagnostic| {
             let rule = diagnostic.kind.rule();
-            let fixable = diagnostic.fix.as_ref().is_some_and(|fix| matches!(fix.applicability(), Applicability::Safe | Applicability::Unsafe));
+            let fixable = diagnostic.fix.as_ref().is_some_and(|fix| {
+                matches!(
+                    fix.applicability(),
+                    Applicability::Safe | Applicability::Unsafe
+                )
+            });
 
             match (fixable, rule.fixable()) {
                 (true, FixAvailability::Sometimes | FixAvailability::Always)
@@ -236,28 +241,39 @@ Source with applied fixes:
                     // Ok
                 }
                 (true, FixAvailability::None) => {
-                    panic!("Rule {rule:?} is marked as non-fixable but it created a fix. Change the `Violation::FIX_AVAILABILITY` to either `FixAvailability::Sometimes` or `FixAvailability::Always`");
-                },
+                    panic!(
+                        "Rule {rule:?} is marked as non-fixable but it created a fix.
+Change the `Violation::FIX_AVAILABILITY` to either \
+`FixAvailability::Sometimes` or `FixAvailability::Always`"
+                    );
+                }
+                (false, FixAvailability::Always) if source_has_errors => {
+                    // Ok
+                }
                 (false, FixAvailability::Always) => {
-                    panic!("Rule {rule:?} is marked to always-fixable but the diagnostic has no fix. Either ensure you always emit a fix or change `Violation::FIX_AVAILABILITY` to either `FixAvailability::Sometimes` or `FixAvailability::None")
+                    panic!(
+                        "\
+Rule {rule:?} is marked to always-fixable but the diagnostic has no fix.
+Either ensure you always emit a fix or change `Violation::FIX_AVAILABILITY` to either \
+`FixAvailability::Sometimes` or `FixAvailability::None`"
+                    )
                 }
             }
 
-            assert!(!(fixable && diagnostic.kind.suggestion.is_none()), "Diagnostic emitted by {rule:?} is fixable but `Violation::fix_title` returns `None`.`");
+            assert!(
+                !(fixable && diagnostic.kind.suggestion.is_none()),
+                "Diagnostic emitted by {rule:?} is fixable but \
+                `Violation::fix_title` returns `None`"
+            );
 
             // Not strictly necessary but adds some coverage for this code path
             let noqa = directives.noqa_line_for.resolve(diagnostic.start());
 
             Message::from_diagnostic(diagnostic, source_code.clone(), noqa)
         })
-        .chain(
-            parsed
-                .errors()
-                .iter()
-                .map(|parse_error| {
-                    Message::from_parse_error(parse_error, &locator, source_code.clone())
-                })
-        )
+        .chain(parsed.errors().iter().map(|parse_error| {
+            Message::from_parse_error(parse_error, &locator, source_code.clone())
+        }))
         .sorted()
         .collect();
     (messages, transformed)