diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index d39f3ec..c3e1388 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -94,20 +94,15 @@ plode(char *s)
 static int
 commit(char r)
 {
-	int depth = 0;
-	char c, *s = regs[(int)r];
+	char *s = regs[(int)r];
 	if(r == '*')
 		s = plode(s);
-	else if(s[0] == '(') {
-		while((c = *s++)) {
-			if(c == '(') depth++;
-			*outp_++ = c;
-			if(c == ')') --depth;
-			if(!depth) return 1;
-		}
-	}
-	while(!spacer(s[0]) && (*outp_++ = *s++))
-		;
+	else if(s) {
+		char *ss = walk(s);
+		while((s < ss) && (*outp_++ = *s++))
+			;
+	} else
+		*outp_++ = r;
 	return 1;
 }
 
@@ -175,7 +170,7 @@ rewrite(void)
 					char cc, *b = r->b;
 					if(!*b && outp_ != bank_a && outp_ != bank_b) outp_--;
 					while((cc = *b++)) {
-						if(cc == '?' && regs[(int)b[0]])
+						if(cc == '?')
 							commit(*b++);
 						else
 							*outp_++ = cc;