diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 81ed6ff..77f8666 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ match_rule(Rule *r, char *p)
 		rmin = 0xff, rmax = 0x00;
 	}
 	while((c = *a)) {
-		if(c == '?' && last != '\\') {
+		if(c == '?' && spacer(last) && spacer(a[2])) {
 			if(!set_reg(*(++a), b)) return NULL;
 			a++, b = walk(b);
 			continue;
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ write_rule(Rule *r, char last, char *res)
 {
 	char c, *b = r->b, *origin = dst_;
 	while((c = *b++))
-		if(c == '?' && regs[(int)*b] && spacer(last) && spacer(b[1]))
+		if(c == '?' && last != '\\' && regs[(int)*b])
 			put_reg(*b++);
 		else
 			*dst_++ = c, last = c;