diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index c18da75..bdb77be 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -223,16 +223,16 @@ apply_rule(Rule *r, char *s)
 static char *
 parse_frag(char **side, char *s)
 {
-	int wrapped;
 	char c, *cap;
 	while((c = *s) && c == ' ') s++;
-	if(c == ')' || (c == '<' && s[1] == '>')) {
+	if(c == ')' || (c == '<' || c == '>'))
 		*side = &empty;
-		return s;
+	else {
+		int wrapped;
+		*side = dict_, cap = walk(s), wrapped = c == '(';
+		if(wrapped) s++, cap--;
+		dict_ = copy(s, dict_, cap - s), s = cap + wrapped, *dict_++ = 0;
 	}
-	*side = dict_, cap = walk(s), wrapped = c == '(';
-	if(wrapped) s++, cap--;
-	dict_ = copy(s, dict_, cap - s), s = cap + wrapped, *dict_++ = 0;
 	return s;
 }