diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 1099210..cf5c211 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -163,7 +163,6 @@ create_rule(Rule *r, int id, char *s)
 	char c;
 	r->id = id, s += 2;
 	r->a = dict_, s = parse_frag(s), r->b = dict_, s = parse_frag(s);
-	while((c = *s) && c <= ' ') s++;
 	return s;
 }
 
@@ -178,6 +177,7 @@ rewrite(void)
 			if(s[0] == '<' && s[1] == '>') {
 				r = rules_++;
 				s = create_rule(r, rules_ - rules - 1, s);
+				while((c = *s) && c <= ' ') s++;
 				return commit_rule(r, s, 1);
 			}
 			if(s[0] == '?' && s[1] == '(') {