diff --git a/examples/test.modal b/examples/test.modal
index a520c1c..729485c 100644
--- a/examples/test.modal
+++ b/examples/test.modal
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
-<> (duppre ?x) (?x ?x)
+<> (?x dup) (?x ?x)
+<> (?x ?y swap) (?y ?x)
 
-what (duppre twice)
\ No newline at end of file
+(1234 dup)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 8ab0a04..f4aed5a 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -11,15 +11,17 @@ static char prog[0x1000], *prog_ = prog;
 static char outp[0x1000], *outp_ = outp;
 static char *regs[0x100];
 
+#define spacer(c) (c == ' ' || c == '(' || c == ')')
+
 static char *
 walk(char *s)
 {
 	int depth = 0;
 	char c;
 	while((c = *s++)) {
+		if(spacer(c) && !depth) break;
 		if(c == '(') depth++;
 		if(c == ')') --depth;
-		if(c == ' ' && !depth) break;
 	}
 	return s - 1;
 }
@@ -42,9 +44,9 @@ writereg(char r)
 	int depth = 0;
 	char c, *s = regs[(int)r];
 	while((c = *s++)) {
+		if(spacer(c) && !depth) break;
 		if(c == '(') depth++;
 		if(c == ')') --depth;
-		if(c == ' ' && !depth) break;
 		*outp_++ = c;
 	}
 	return 1;