diff --git a/src/frontend/inpcom.c b/src/frontend/inpcom.c
index 2d5f8b0c5..73b541c05 100644
--- a/src/frontend/inpcom.c
+++ b/src/frontend/inpcom.c
@@ -2199,10 +2199,10 @@ inp_fix_subckt(struct names *subckt_w_params, char *s)
 
             if (last_param_card)
                 last_param_card->li_next = c;
-            else
-                first_param_card = c;
-
             last_param_card = c;
+
+            if (!first_param_card)
+                first_param_card = c;
         }
         /* now sort parameters in order of dependencies */
         inp_sort_params(first_param_card, head, NULL, NULL);