diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
index 94e04e124..2bab0769b 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ findsubckt(dico_t *dico, const char * const s)
     while ((k_ptr - 1 >= s) && (*(k_ptr-1) <= ' '))
         k_ptr--;
 
-    name_e - 1 = k_ptr - 1;
+    name_e = k_ptr;
 
     while ((k_ptr - 1 >= s) && (*(k_ptr-1) > ' '))
         k_ptr--;