diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/numparam.h b/src/frontend/numparam/numparam.h
index 4aea3d15b..3d40446f0 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/numparam.h
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/numparam.h
@@ -75,6 +75,6 @@ bool nupa_assignment(dico_t *, char *s, char mode);
 bool nupa_subcktcall(dico_t *, char *s, char *x, char *inst_name);
 void nupa_subcktexit(dico_t *);
 dico_t *nupa_fetchinstance(void);
-nupa_type getidtype(dico_t *, char *s);
+entry_t *entrynb(dico_t *dico, char *s);
 entry_t *attrib(dico_t *, NGHASHPTR htable, char *t, char op);
 void del_attrib(void *);
diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/spicenum.c b/src/frontend/numparam/spicenum.c
index 11c2ac8b3..b1e9b2b53 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/spicenum.c
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/spicenum.c
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ findsubname(dico_t *dico, SPICE_DSTRINGPTR dstr_p)
 
         found = (k >= 0) && alfanum(s[k + 1]); /* suppose an identifier */
         if (found) {
+            entry_t *entry;
             /* check for known subckt name */
             spice_dstring_reinit(&name);
             j = k + 1;
@@ -222,7 +223,8 @@ findsubname(dico_t *dico, SPICE_DSTRINGPTR dstr_p)
                 cadd(&name, upcase(s[j]));
                 j++;
             }
-            found = (getidtype(dico, spice_dstring_value(&name)) == NUPA_SUBCKT);
+            entry = entrynb(dico, spice_dstring_value(&name));
+            found = entry && (entry->tp == NUPA_SUBCKT);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
index 72d57ca35..d0b150df6 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ donedico(dico_t *dico)
  * look thru the stack of local symbols and then look at the global
  * symbols in that order.
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------- */
-static entry_t *
+entry_t *
 entrynb(dico_t *dico, char *s)
 {
     int depth;                  /* stack depth */
@@ -388,19 +388,6 @@ entrynb(dico_t *dico, char *s)
 }
 
 
-nupa_type
-getidtype(dico_t *dico, char *s)
-/* test if identifier s is known. Answer its type, or '?' if not in table */
-{
-    entry_t *entry = entrynb(dico, s);
-
-    if (entry)
-        return entry->tp;
-
-    return NUPA_UNKNOWN;
-}
-
-
 static double
 fetchnumentry(dico_t *dico, char *s, bool *perr)
 {