diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
index 0662778d5..66c9c4c96 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
@@ -558,10 +558,10 @@ findsubckt(dico_t *dico, const char * const s)
 
     while ((k_ptr - 1 >= s) && (*(k_ptr-1) <= ' '))
         k_ptr--;
+
+    j_ptr = k_ptr - 1;
+
     k_ptr--;
-
-    j_ptr = k_ptr;
-
     while ((k_ptr >= s) && (*k_ptr > ' '))
         k_ptr--;