diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index b341e5d..2a8594e 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ write_rule(Rule *r, char *s, int create)
 }
 
 static int
-run_rule(Rule *r, char *s)
+apply_rule(Rule *r, char *s)
 {
 	int i;
 	char c, *a = r->a;
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ run_rule(Rule *r, char *s)
 			regs[i] = 0;
 		rmin = 0xff, rmax = 0x00;
 	}
-	while((c = *a)) {
+	while((c = *a)) { /* phase: match rule */
 		if(c == '?') {
 			int regid = (int)*(++a);
 			char *pcap = walk(s), *reg = regs[regid];
@@ -134,8 +134,7 @@ run_rule(Rule *r, char *s)
 		if(c != *s) return 0;
 		a++, s++;
 	}
-	c = *s;
-	if(spacer(c)) {
+	if(!(c = *s) || spacer(c)) { /* phase: write rule */
 		char *b = r->b, *reg, *origin = dst_;
 		while((c = *b++))
 			if(c == '?' && (reg = regs[(int)*b]))
@@ -190,10 +189,10 @@ rewrite(void)
 				lambda.a = dict_, s = parse_frag(s + 2);
 				lambda.b = dict_, parse_frag(s), s = cap;
 				while(*s == ' ') s++;
-				return run_rule(&lambda, s);
+				return apply_rule(&lambda, s);
 			}
 			for(r = rules; r < rules_; r++)
-				if(run_rule(r, s)) return 1;
+				if(apply_rule(r, s)) return 1;
 		}
 		*dst_++ = last = c;
 		s++;