diff --git a/src/frontend/inpcom.c b/src/frontend/inpcom.c
index 9808fab07..ec9da5f2c 100644
--- a/src/frontend/inpcom.c
+++ b/src/frontend/inpcom.c
@@ -5577,12 +5577,12 @@ inp_modify_exp(char* expr)
                         s++;
                         wl->wl_word = copy(buf);
                     } else {
-                        wl->wl_word = tprintf("{%s}", buf);
+                        wl->wl_word = tprintf("({%s})", buf);
                     }
 
                 } else {
                     /* {} around all other tokens */
-                    wl->wl_word = tprintf("{%s}", buf);
+                    wl->wl_word = tprintf("({%s})", buf);
                 }
             }
         } else if (isdigit(c) || (c == '.')) { /* allow .5 format too */
diff --git a/tests/regression/misc/bugs-1.cir b/tests/regression/misc/bugs-1.cir
index ebea311e6..81ae865a2 100644
--- a/tests/regression/misc/bugs-1.cir
+++ b/tests/regression/misc/bugs-1.cir
@@ -13,6 +13,14 @@ v1002_aux aux1002 0 DC=3
 b1002_t  n1002_t 0  V=(-(v(aux1002)))
 v1002_g  n1002_g 0  -3
 
+.param aux1003=-2
+
+b1003_t  n1003_t 0  V='aux1003**2'
+v1003_g  n1003_g 0  4
+
+b1004_t  n1004_t 0  V='-aux1003**2'
+v1004_g  n1004_g 0  -4
+
 * ----------------------------------------
 
 .control
@@ -24,7 +32,7 @@ op
 let total_count = 0
 let fail_count = 0
 
-let tests = 1001 + vector(2)
+let tests = 1001 + vector(4)
 
 foreach n $&tests
   set n_test = "n{$n}_t"
diff --git a/tests/regression/misc/bugs-1.out b/tests/regression/misc/bugs-1.out
index f2cf2dc09..43bf1bf59 100644
--- a/tests/regression/misc/bugs-1.out
+++ b/tests/regression/misc/bugs-1.out
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ Doing analysis at TEMP = 27.000000 and TNOM = 27.000000
 
 
 No. of Data Rows : 1
-INFO: 0 of 2 tests failed
+INFO: 0 of 4 tests failed