diff --git a/starlark/bench_test.go b/starlark/bench_test.go
index 7f78a223..14952916 100644
--- a/starlark/bench_test.go
+++ b/starlark/bench_test.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 	"go.starlark.net/starlark"
 	"go.starlark.net/starlarktest"
+	"go.starlark.net/syntax"
 )
 
 func Benchmark(b *testing.B) {
@@ -58,10 +59,11 @@ func Benchmark(b *testing.B) {
 }
 
 // BenchmarkProgram measures operations relevant to compiled programs.
-// TODO(adonovan): use a bigger testdata program.
 func BenchmarkProgram(b *testing.B) {
-	// Measure time to read a source file (approx 600us but depends on hardware and file system).
+	// TODO(adonovan): use a bigger testdata program.
 	filename := starlarktest.DataFile("starlark", "testdata/paths.star")
+
+	// Measure time to read a source file (approx 600us but depends on hardware and file system).
 	var src []byte
 	b.Run("read", func(b *testing.B) {
 		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
@@ -73,7 +75,26 @@ func BenchmarkProgram(b *testing.B) {
 		}
 	})
 
-	// Measure time to turn a source filename into a compiled program (approx 450us).
+	// Measure time to scan (approx 170us).
+	b.Run("scan", func(b *testing.B) {
+		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+			if err := syntax.ScanAndDiscard(filename, src, 0); err != nil {
+				b.Fatal(err)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+
+	// Measure time to parse (approx 300us).
+	b.Run("parse", func(b *testing.B) {
+		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+			if _, err := syntax.Parse(filename, src, 0); err != nil {
+				b.Fatal(err)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+
+	// Measure time to turn a source filename into a compiled program,
+	// that is, read + scan + parse + resolve + compile (approx 450us).
 	var prog *starlark.Program
 	b.Run("compile", func(b *testing.B) {
 		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
diff --git a/syntax/parse.go b/syntax/parse.go
index 0e4d284f..72828563 100644
--- a/syntax/parse.go
+++ b/syntax/parse.go
@@ -47,6 +47,23 @@ func Parse(filename string, src interface{}, mode Mode) (f *File, err error) {
 	return f, nil
 }
 
+// ScanAndDiscard tokenizes the input data and discards the tokens.
+// Parameters are as for Parse.
+// It exists only for internal benchmarking purposes.
+func ScanAndDiscard(filename string, src interface{}, mode Mode) error {
+	in, err := newScanner(filename, src, mode&RetainComments != 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	p := parser{in: in}
+	defer p.in.recover(&err)
+	p.nextToken() // read first lookahead token
+	for p.tok != EOF {
+		p.nextToken()
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // ParseCompoundStmt parses a single compound statement:
 // a blank line, a def, for, while, or if statement, or a
 // semicolon-separated list of simple statements followed