diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index b9f4c90..3b654cd 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -158,9 +158,9 @@ parse_frag(char *s)
 {
 	char c, *ss;
 	while((c = *s) && c <= ' ') s++;
-	if(*s != ')' && !(*s == '<' && s[1] == '>')) {
+	if(c != ')' && !(c == '<' && s[1] == '>')) {
 		ss = walk(s);
-		if(*s == '(') {
+		if(c == '(') {
 			s++;
 			while(s < ss - 1) *dict_++ = *s++;
 			s++;
@@ -188,13 +188,13 @@ rewrite(void)
 	while((c = *s)) {
 		if(spacer(last)) {
 			Rule *r;
-			if(*s == '<' && s[1] == '>') {
+			if(c == '<' && 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 == '?' && s[1] == '(') {
+			if(c == '?' && s[1] == '(') {
 				r = &lambda, cap = walk(s + 1);
 				create_rule(&lambda, -1, s), s = cap;
 				while((c = *s) && c <= ' ') s++;