diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
index 281014b4c..d1143b7de 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
@@ -381,7 +381,8 @@ accountdirectivep = do
   lift skipNonNewlineSpaces1
 
   -- the account name, possibly modified by preceding alias or apply account directives
-  acct <- modifiedaccountnamep
+  acct <- (notFollowedBy (char '(' <|> char '[') <?> "account name without brackets") >>
+          modifiedaccountnamep
 
   -- maybe a comment, on this and/or following lines
   (cmt, tags) <- lift transactioncommentp
@@ -433,7 +434,7 @@ addAccountDeclaration (a,cmt,tags,pos) = do
   modify' (\j ->
              let
                decls = jdeclaredaccounts j
-               d     = (textUnbracket a, nullaccountdeclarationinfo{
+               d     = (a, nullaccountdeclarationinfo{
                               adicomment          = cmt
                              ,aditags             = tags
                              ,adideclarationorder = length decls + 1  -- gets renumbered when Journals are finalised or merged
diff --git a/hledger/hledger.m4.md b/hledger/hledger.m4.md
index 4490f74e2..cef692958 100644
--- a/hledger/hledger.m4.md
+++ b/hledger/hledger.m4.md
@@ -1801,8 +1801,10 @@ They are written as the word `account` followed by a hledger-style [account name
 account assets:bank:checking
 ```
 
-Note, however, that account names declared in the account directive are stripped of surrounding brackets and parentheses. 
-The above directive is thus equivalent to this:
+Note, however, that accounts declared in account directives are not allowed to have surrounding
+brackets and parentheses, unlike accounts used in postings.
+So the following journal will not parse:
+
 ```journal 
 account (assets:bank:checking)
 ```
diff --git a/hledger/test/journal/directive-account.test b/hledger/test/journal/directive-account.test
index 94abceaeb..eec26e06b 100644
--- a/hledger/test/journal/directive-account.test
+++ b/hledger/test/journal/directive-account.test
@@ -68,28 +68,35 @@ account Expenses:Food
 $ hledger -f- accounts
 Expenses:Food
 
-# 5. It unbrackets account names.
+# 5. It does not allow parentheses in names.
 <
 account (a)
-account (a:aa)
-account (a:(aaa))
-account [b]
-account [b:bb]
-account [b:[bbb]]
-account [([c])]
-account [([c:cc])]
-account [([c:[ccc]])]
 
 $ hledger -f- accounts
-a
-a:aa
-a:(aaa)
-b
-b:bb
-b:[bbb]
-c
-c:cc
-c:[ccc]
+>2
+hledger: Error: -:1:9:
+  |
+1 | account (a)
+  |         ^
+unexpected '('
+expecting account name without brackets
+
+>=1
+
+# 6. It does not allow brackets in names.
+<
+account [a]
+
+$ hledger -f- accounts
+>2
+hledger: Error: -:1:9:
+  |
+1 | account [a]
+  |         ^
+unexpected '['
+expecting account name without brackets
+
+>=1
 
 # TODO
 # a trailing : should give a clear error