diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 8c73066..ae56375 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -138,10 +138,10 @@ write_rule(Rule *r, char last, char *res)
 	char cc, *b = r->b;
 	if(!*b && last == ' ') outp_--;
 	while((cc = *b++))
-		if(cc == '?')
+		if(spacer(last) && cc == '?')
 			put_reg(*b++);
 		else
-			*outp_++ = cc;
+			*outp_++ = cc, last = cc;
 	return commit_rule(r, res, 0);
 }