diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 0a9ab35..df6f2f4 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -222,13 +222,11 @@ apply_rule(Rule *r, char *s)
 	c = *s;
 	if(!spacer(c)) return 0;
 	/* phase: write rule */
-	if(b != NULL) {
-		while((c = *b++))
-			if(c == '?' && (rid = *b) && (reg = regs[rid]))
-				write_reg(rid, reg), b++;
-			else
-				*dst_++ = c;
-	}
+	while((c = *b++))
+		if(c == '?' && (rid = *b) && (reg = regs[rid]))
+			write_reg(rid, reg), b++;
+		else
+			*dst_++ = c;
 	if(dst_ == origin) {
 		while(*s == ' ') s++;
 		if(*s == ')' && *(dst_ - 1) == ' ') dst_--;
@@ -243,11 +241,8 @@ parse_frag(char **side, char *s)
 	char c, *cap;
 	while((c = *s) && c == ' ') s++;
 	if(c == ')' || (c == '<' && s[1] == '>') || (c == '>' && s[1] == '<')) {
-		*side = NULL;
+		*side = dict_, *dict_++ = 0;
 		return s;
-	} else if((c == '(' && s[1] == ')')) {
-		*side = NULL;
-		return s + 2;
 	} else {
 		cap = walk(s), *side = dict_;
 		if(c == '(')
@@ -277,14 +272,14 @@ static void
 remove_rule(Rule *r)
 {
 	if(r < rules_ - 1) {
-		int distance = slen(r->a) + (r->b != NULL ? slen(r->b) : 0);
+		int distance = slen(r->a) + slen(r->b);
 		char *memsrc = (r + 1)->a;
 		copy(memsrc, r->a, dict_ - memsrc);
 		while(r < rules_ - 1) {
 			Rule *next = r + 1;
 			r->id = next->id, r->refs = next->refs;
 			r->a = next->a - distance;
-			r->b = next->b == NULL ? NULL : next->b - distance;
+			r->b = next->b - distance;
 			r++;
 		}
 	}
@@ -315,7 +310,7 @@ rewrite(void)
 			if(c == '<' && s[1] == '>') {
 				r = rules_, r->id = rules_ - rules;
 				s = parse_frag(&r->b, parse_frag(&r->a, s + 2));
-				if(r->a != NULL) {
+				if(*r->a) {
 					if(!quiet) fprintf(stderr, "<> (%s) (%s)\n", r->a ? r->a : "", r->b ? r->b : "");
 					rules_++;
 				}
@@ -330,7 +325,7 @@ rewrite(void)
 				parse_frag(&r->b, parse_frag(&r->a, s + 2));
 				s = cap;
 				while(*s == ' ') s++;
-				if(r->a == NULL || !apply_rule(r, s)) write_tail(s);
+				if(!(*r->a) || !apply_rule(r, s)) write_tail(s);
 				dict_ = d;
 				return 1;
 			}