diff --git a/pkg/core/src/parser.ts b/pkg/core/src/parser.ts
index e4314b32..f9aa2dbc 100644
--- a/pkg/core/src/parser.ts
+++ b/pkg/core/src/parser.ts
@@ -220,12 +220,17 @@ export const parse = (p: PluginMap, t: Token[], lineNo: number): Cst => {
 		errors: [],
 	};
 	let givenThen: 'given' | 'then' | undefined;
+	let openConnect: 'open' | 'connect' | undefined;
 	if (t[0]) {
 		if (t[0].name != 'given' && t[0].name != 'then')
 			cst.errors.push({ message: ParseError.wrong(t[0], 'given', 'then'), lineNo, start: t[0].start, end: t[0].end });
 		else givenThen = t[0].name;
 		if (t[1]) {
 			if (t[1].raw !== 'I') cst.errors.push({message: ParseError.wrong(t[1], 'I'), lineNo, start: t[1].start, end: t[1].end});
+			if (t[2]) {
+				if (t[2].raw == 'open') openConnect = 'open';
+				else if (t[2].raw == 'connect') openConnect = 'connect';
+			}
 		} else cst.errors.push({ message: ParseError.missing(t[0], 'I'), lineNo, start: t[0].start, end: t[0].end});
 	} else {
 		cst.errors.push({ message: ParseError.missing(lineNo, 'Given I', 'Then I'), lineNo});
@@ -246,6 +251,9 @@ export const parse = (p: PluginMap, t: Token[], lineNo: number): Cst => {
 			if (curErrLen !== undefined && m.err.length > curErrLen) throw lemmeout;
 		};
 		try {
+			// check open and connect statement only against the correct statements
+			if(openConnect && (openConnect !== k.openconnect)) throw lemmeout;
+
 			// Open 'ident' and|Connect to 'ident' and
 			if (k.openconnect === 'open') {
 				if (t[++i]?.name !== 'open') newErr(i, 'open');
diff --git a/pkg/core/test/parser.ts b/pkg/core/test/parser.ts
index 53fed4cd..b90dc5ef 100644
--- a/pkg/core/test/parser.ts
+++ b/pkg/core/test/parser.ts
@@ -601,6 +601,33 @@ test('parser works', (t) => {
 				},
 			],
 		},
+		"Given I connect to": {
+			givenThen: 'given',
+			errors: [],
+			matches: [
+				{
+					key: {
+						openconnect: 'connect',
+						phrase: 'send http request',
+						params: ['object'],
+					},
+					bindings: new Map(),
+					err: [
+						{message: ParseError.missing(new Token('to', 1, 16, 17), '\'<identifier>\''), lineNo: 1},
+						{message: ParseError.missing(1, 'and'), lineNo: 1},
+						{message: ParseError.missing(1, 'send'), lineNo: 1},
+						{message: ParseError.missing(1, 'object'), lineNo: 1},
+						{message: ParseError.missing(1, '\'<identifier>\''), lineNo: 1},
+						{message: ParseError.missing(1, 'and'), lineNo: 1},
+						{message: ParseError.missing(1, 'send'), lineNo: 1},
+						{message: ParseError.missing(1, 'http'), lineNo: 1},
+						{message: ParseError.missing(1, 'request'), lineNo: 1},
+
+					],
+					lineNo: 1,
+				},
+			],
+		},
 	}).forEach(([give, want], index) => {
 		const lexed = lex(give, 1);
 		if (!lexed.ok) throw new Error(lexed.error.message.message);