diff --git a/include/flatbuffers/idl.h b/include/flatbuffers/idl.h
index 118a74dd8..d4fcccb1a 100644
--- a/include/flatbuffers/idl.h
+++ b/include/flatbuffers/idl.h
@@ -375,9 +375,10 @@ class CheckedError {
 // Additionally, in GCC we can get these errors statically, for additional
 // assurance:
 #ifdef __GNUC__
-#define CHECKED_ERROR CheckedError __attribute__((warn_unused_result))
+#define FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR CheckedError \
+          __attribute__((warn_unused_result))
 #else
-#define CHECKED_ERROR CheckedError
+#define FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR CheckedError
 #endif
 
 class Parser {
@@ -435,51 +436,56 @@ class Parser {
   // See reflection/reflection.fbs
   void Serialize();
 
-  CHECKED_ERROR CheckBitsFit(int64_t val, size_t bits);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR CheckBitsFit(int64_t val, size_t bits);
 
 private:
-  CHECKED_ERROR Error(const std::string &msg);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseHexNum(int nibbles, int64_t *val);
-  CHECKED_ERROR Next();
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR Error(const std::string &msg);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseHexNum(int nibbles, int64_t *val);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR Next();
   bool Is(int t);
-  CHECKED_ERROR Expect(int t);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR Expect(int t);
   std::string TokenToStringId(int t);
   EnumDef *LookupEnum(const std::string &id);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseNamespacing(std::string *id, std::string *last);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseTypeIdent(Type &type);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseType(Type &type);
-  CHECKED_ERROR AddField(StructDef &struct_def, const std::string &name,
-                         const Type &type, FieldDef **dest);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseField(StructDef &struct_def);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseAnyValue(Value &val, FieldDef *field, size_t parent_fieldn);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseTable(const StructDef &struct_def, std::string *value,
-                           uoffset_t *ovalue);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseNamespacing(std::string *id,
+                                             std::string *last);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseTypeIdent(Type &type);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseType(Type &type);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR AddField(StructDef &struct_def,
+                                     const std::string &name, const Type &type,
+                                     FieldDef **dest);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseField(StructDef &struct_def);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseAnyValue(Value &val, FieldDef *field,
+                                          size_t parent_fieldn);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseTable(const StructDef &struct_def,
+                                       std::string *value, uoffset_t *ovalue);
   void SerializeStruct(const StructDef &struct_def, const Value &val);
   void AddVector(bool sortbysize, int count);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseVector(const Type &type, uoffset_t *ovalue);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseMetaData(Definition &def);
-  CHECKED_ERROR TryTypedValue(int dtoken, bool check, Value &e, BaseType req,
-                              bool *destmatch);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseHash(Value &e, FieldDef* field);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseSingleValue(Value &e);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseIntegerFromString(Type &type, int64_t *result);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseVector(const Type &type, uoffset_t *ovalue);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseMetaData(Definition &def);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR TryTypedValue(int dtoken, bool check, Value &e,
+                                          BaseType req, bool *destmatch);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseHash(Value &e, FieldDef* field);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseSingleValue(Value &e);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseIntegerFromString(Type &type, int64_t *result);
   StructDef *LookupCreateStruct(const std::string &name,
                                 bool create_if_new = true,
                                 bool definition = false);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseEnum(bool is_union, EnumDef **dest);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseNamespace();
-  CHECKED_ERROR StartStruct(const std::string &name, StructDef **dest);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseDecl();
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseProtoFields(StructDef *struct_def, bool isextend,
-                                 bool inside_oneof);
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseProtoOption();
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseProtoKey();
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseProtoDecl();
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseProtoCurliesOrIdent();
-  CHECKED_ERROR ParseTypeFromProtoType(Type *type);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseEnum(bool is_union, EnumDef **dest);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseNamespace();
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR StartStruct(const std::string &name,
+                                        StructDef **dest);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseDecl();
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseProtoFields(StructDef *struct_def,
+                                             bool isextend, bool inside_oneof);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseProtoOption();
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseProtoKey();
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseProtoDecl();
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseProtoCurliesOrIdent();
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR ParseTypeFromProtoType(Type *type);
 
-  CHECKED_ERROR DoParse(const char *_source, const char **include_paths,
-                        const char *source_filename);
+  FLATBUFFERS_CHECKED_ERROR DoParse(const char *_source,
+                                    const char **include_paths,
+                                    const char *source_filename);
 
  public:
   SymbolTable<StructDef> structs_;
diff --git a/src/idl_parser.cpp b/src/idl_parser.cpp
index 6a013c90f..5d675ac05 100644
--- a/src/idl_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/idl_parser.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,13 @@ static_assert(BASE_TYPE_UNION ==
               static_cast<BaseType>(reflection::Union),
               "enums don't match");
 
+// Any parsing calls have to be wrapped in this macro, which automates
+// handling of recursive error checking a bit. It will check the received
+// CheckedError object, and return straight away on error.
 #define ECHECK(call) { auto ce = (call); if (ce.Check()) return ce; }
+
+// These two functions are called hundreds of times below, so define a short
+// form:
 #define NEXT() ECHECK(Next())
 #define EXPECT(tok) ECHECK(Expect(tok))