diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 7b3dcdd..21f0f64 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -228,9 +228,9 @@ rewrite(void)
 			}
 			/* phase: undefine */
 			if(c == '>' && s[1] == '<') {
-				s += 2, cap = walk(s);
+				s += 2;
 				while(*s == ' ') s++;
-				r = find_rule(s, cap), r->a = 0;
+				cap = walk(s), r = find_rule(s, cap), r->a = 0;
 				if(!quiet && r->a) fprintf(stderr, ">< (%s)\n", r->a);
 				while(*cap == ' ') cap++;
 				return write_rule(NULL, cap);