diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index d6546bd..6f317a5 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -148,24 +148,6 @@ apply_rule(Rule *r, char *s)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static char *
-parse_frag(char *s)
-{
-	char c, *cap;
-	while((c = *s) && c == ' ') s++;
-	if(c != ')' && !(c == '<' && s[1] == '>')) {
-		cap = walk(s);
-		if(c == '(') {
-			s++;
-			while(s < cap - 1) *dict_++ = *s++;
-			s++;
-		} else
-			while(s < cap) *dict_++ = *s++;
-	}
-	*dict_++ = 0;
-	return s;
-}
-
 static int
 find_register(Rule *r, char reg)
 {
@@ -179,9 +161,25 @@ find_register(Rule *r, char reg)
 static char *
 compile_rule(Rule *r, int id, char *src)
 {
-	char c, *s;
+	char c, *cap, *s, *s2;
 	r->id = id, r->ptr = 0;
-	r->a = dict_, src = parse_frag(src);
+
+	/* left */
+	r->a = dict_;
+	s2 = src;
+	while((c = *s2) && c == ' ') s2++;
+	if(c != ')' && !(c == '<' && s2[1] == '>')) {
+		cap = walk(s2);
+		if(c == '(') {
+			s2++;
+			while(s2 < cap - 1) *dict_++ = *s2++;
+			s2++;
+		} else
+			while(s2 < cap) *dict_++ = *s2++;
+	}
+	*dict_++ = 0;
+	src = s2;
+
 	s = r->a;
 	while((c = *s++)) { /* left */
 		if(c == '?') {
@@ -191,7 +189,23 @@ compile_rule(Rule *r, int id, char *src)
 			*s = '0' + reg;
 		}
 	}
-	r->b = dict_, src = parse_frag(src);
+
+	/* right */
+	r->b = dict_;
+	s2 = src;
+	while((c = *s2) && c == ' ') s2++;
+	if(c != ')' && !(c == '<' && s2[1] == '>')) {
+		cap = walk(s2);
+		if(c == '(') {
+			s2++;
+			while(s2 < cap - 1) *dict_++ = *s2++;
+			s2++;
+		} else
+			while(s2 < cap) *dict_++ = *s2++;
+	}
+	*dict_++ = 0;
+	src = s2;
+
 	s = r->b;
 	while((c = *s++)) { /* right */
 		if(c == '?') {