diff --git a/src/util/dict_inline.c b/src/util/dict_inline.c
index a416d7c..72339b2 100644
--- a/src/util/dict_inline.c
+++ b/src/util/dict_inline.c
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ DICT   *dict_inline_open(const char *name, int open_flags, int dict_flags)
     dict = dict_open3(DICT_TYPE_HT, name, open_flags, dict_flags);
     dict_type_override(dict, DICT_TYPE_INLINE);
     while ((nameval = mystrtokq(&cp, CHARS_COMMA_SP, CHARS_BRACE)) != 0) {
-	if ((nameval[0] != CHARS_BRACE[0]
-	     || (err = free_me = extpar(&nameval, CHARS_BRACE, EXTPAR_FLAG_STRIP)) == 0)
-	    && (err = split_qnameval(nameval, &vname, &value)) != 0)
+	if (nameval[0] == CHARS_BRACE[0])
+	    err = free_me = extpar(&nameval, CHARS_BRACE, EXTPAR_FLAG_STRIP);
+	if (err != 0 || (err = split_qnameval(nameval, &vname, &value)) != 0)
 	    break;
 
 	if ((dict->flags & DICT_FLAG_SRC_RHS_IS_FILE) != 0) {