diff --git a/src/fh_builtins_text.c b/src/fh_builtins_text.c
index b86ed20..94bbe00 100644
--- a/src/fh_builtins_text.c
+++ b/src/fh_builtins_text.c
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ static enum fh_error w_dot_quote(struct fh_thread_s *fh, const struct fh_word_s
     }
   }
 
-  if (fh->state == FH_STATE_INTERPRET) {
+  if (fh->state == FH_STATE_INTERPRET || c == ')') { // XXX special case for .(
     FHPRINT("%.*s", (int) len, start);
     // the string is invalidated immediately, heap pointer is NOT advanced.
   } else {