diff --git a/src/frontend/dotcards.c b/src/frontend/dotcards.c
index cd92466ed..2d823ad7f 100644
--- a/src/frontend/dotcards.c
+++ b/src/frontend/dotcards.c
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ gettoks(char *s)
     list = NULL;
     prevp = &list;
 
-    s = stripWhiteSpacesInsideParens(s);
+    if (strstr( s, "(" )) s = stripWhiteSpacesInsideParens(s);
     while ((t = gettok(&s))) {
 	if (*t == '(')
 	    continue;