diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 32836bd..83499a2 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ typedef struct {
 } Rule;
 
 static int flip, quiet, rmin = 0xff, rmax = 0x00, cycles = 0x10000;
-static Rule rules[0x1000], *rules_ = rules + 1;
+static Rule rules[0x1000], *rules_ = rules, lambda;
 static char dict[0x8000], *dict_ = dict;
 static char bank_a[0x4000], *src_ = bank_a;
 static char bank_b[0x4000], *dst_ = bank_b;
@@ -179,14 +179,14 @@ rewrite(void)
 			}
 			if(c == '?' && s[1] == '(') { /* lambda */
 				cap = walk(s + 1);
-				r = &rules[0], r->id = -1;
-				r->a = dict_, s = parse_frag(s + 2);
-				r->b = dict_, parse_frag(s), s = cap;
+				lambda.id = -1;
+				lambda.a = dict_, s = parse_frag(s + 2);
+				lambda.b = dict_, parse_frag(s), s = cap;
 				while(*s == ' ') s++;
-				return run_rule(r, s);
+				return run_rule(&lambda, s);
 			}
 
-			for(r = rules + 1; r < rules_; r++)
+			for(r = rules; r < rules_; r++)
 				if(run_rule(r, s)) return 1;
 		}
 		*dst_++ = last = c;