diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
index abbe01a0f..a1b274216 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
@@ -556,6 +556,7 @@ findsubckt(dico_t *dico, const char * const s)
 
     spice_dstring_init(&ustr);
 
+    k_ptr--;
     while ((k_ptr >= s) && (*k_ptr <= ' '))
         k_ptr--;