diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index a414cce..bb71d33 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -47,16 +47,14 @@ put_reg(char r)
 {
 	char c, *s = regs[(int)r];
 	if(r == '~') {
-		char buf;
 		/* special stdin */
-		while(fread(&buf, 1, 1, stdin) && buf >= ' ')
-			*outp_++ = buf;
+		while(fread(&c, 1, 1, stdin) && c >= ' ')
+			*outp_++ = c;
 	} else if(s) {
 		char *ss = walk(s);
 		if(r == '*') {
 			/* special implode */
 			if(*s == '(') {
-				ss = walk(s);
 				while(s < ss && (c = *s++))
 					if(!spacer(c)) *outp_++ = c;
 			}