diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 1cb3d72..05833e2 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -239,9 +239,10 @@ rewrite(void)
 			if(c == '>' && s[1] == '<') {
 				s += 2;
 				while(*s == ' ') s++;
-				cap = walk(s), r = find_rule(s, cap), r->a = 0;
+				cap = walk(s), r = find_rule(s, cap);
 				if(!quiet && r->a)
 					printf(">< "), echo_rule(r, r->a), putc('\n', stdout);
+				r->a = 0;
 				while(*cap == ' ') cap++;
 				return write_tail(cap);
 			}