diff --git a/src/frontends/lean/decl_cmds.cpp b/src/frontends/lean/decl_cmds.cpp
index 2555d661a..5c00834cf 100644
--- a/src/frontends/lean/decl_cmds.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/lean/decl_cmds.cpp
@@ -172,9 +172,9 @@ optional<binder_info> parse_binder_info(parser & p, variable_kind k) {
 }
 
 static void check_variable_kind(parser & p, variable_kind k) {
-    if (in_context(p.env())) {
+    if (in_context(p.env()) || in_section(p.env())) {
         if (k == variable_kind::Axiom || k == variable_kind::Constant)
-            throw parser_error("invalid declaration, 'constant/axiom' cannot be used in contexts",
+            throw parser_error("invalid declaration, 'constant/axiom' cannot be used in sections/contexts",
                                p.pos());
     } else if (!in_section(p.env()) && !in_context(p.env()) && k == variable_kind::Parameter) {
         throw parser_error("invalid declaration, 'parameter/hypothesis/conjecture' "