diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 6f317a5..eace724 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -161,21 +161,21 @@ find_register(Rule *r, char reg)
 static char *
 compile_rule(Rule *r, int id, char *src)
 {
+	int wrapped;
 	char c, *cap, *s, *s2;
 	r->id = id, r->ptr = 0;
 
-	/* left */
+	/* 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++;
+		wrapped = c == '(';
+		if(wrapped) s2++, cap--;
+		while(s2 < cap) *dict_++ = *s2++;
+		s2 += wrapped;
 	}
 	*dict_++ = 0;
 	src = s2;
@@ -190,18 +190,17 @@ compile_rule(Rule *r, int id, char *src)
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* right */
+	/* 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++;
+		wrapped = c == '(';
+		if(wrapped) s2++, cap--;
+		while(s2 < cap) *dict_++ = *s2++;
+		s2 += wrapped;
 	}
 	*dict_++ = 0;
 	src = s2;