diff --git a/examples/test.modal b/examples/test.modal
index 729485c..ba31c3a 100644
--- a/examples/test.modal
+++ b/examples/test.modal
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-<> (?x dup) (?x ?x)
+<> (dup ?x) (?x ?x)
 <> (?x ?y swap) (?y ?x)
 
-(1234 dup)
\ No newline at end of file
+((hey) (there) swap)
+
diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index f4aed5a..12a5877 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ walk(char *s)
 	int depth = 0;
 	char c;
 	while((c = *s++)) {
-		if(spacer(c) && !depth) break;
 		if(c == '(') depth++;
 		if(c == ')') --depth;
+		if(spacer(c) && !depth) break;
 	}
-	return s - 1;
+	return s;
 }
 
 static char *
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ match(char *p, Rule *r)
 {
 	char c, *a = r->a, *b = p;
 	while((c = *a)) {
-		if(c == '?') regs[(int)*(++a)] = b, a++, b = walk(b), c = *b;
+		if(c == '?') {
+			regs[(int)*(++a)] = b, a++, b = walk(b), c = *b;
+		}
 		if(c != *b) return NULL;
 		a++, b++;
 	}
@@ -44,10 +46,10 @@ writereg(char r)
 	int depth = 0;
 	char c, *s = regs[(int)r];
 	while((c = *s++)) {
-		if(spacer(c) && !depth) break;
+		*outp_++ = c;
 		if(c == '(') depth++;
 		if(c == ')') --depth;
-		*outp_++ = c;
+		if(!depth) break;
 	}
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -74,11 +76,12 @@ rewrite(void)
 			char *res = match(p, r);
 			if(res != NULL) {
 				char cc, *b = r->b;
-				while((cc = *b++))
+				while((cc = *b++)) {
 					if(cc == '?')
 						writereg(*b++);
 					else
 						*outp_++ = cc;
+				}
 				found = success = 1;
 				p = res;
 			}