diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index e1c8e80..f54c9ac 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -33,11 +33,10 @@ walk(char *s)
 static int
 compare(char *a, char *b)
 {
-	int i = 0, al = walk(a) - a, bl = walk(b) - b;
-	if(al == bl)
-		while(a[i] == b[i])
-			if(!a[i] || ++i >= al) return 1;
-	return 0;
+	char *aa = walk(a), *bb = walk(b);
+	while(a < aa && b < bb)
+		if(*a++ != *b++) return 0;
+	return 1;
 }
 
 static void