diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index e15a050..b8566df 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ rewrite(void)
 	char c, last = 0, *cap, *s = src_;
 	while(*s == ' ') s++;
 	while((c = *s)) {
-		if(spacer(last)) {
+		if(c == '(' || spacer(last)) {
 			Rule *r = NULL;
 			/* phase: rule */
 			if(c == '<' && s[1] == '>') {