diff --git a/src/parse.c b/src/parse.c
index 2ea5fc94..1a9131d0 100644
--- a/src/parse.c
+++ b/src/parse.c
@@ -140,15 +140,12 @@ line_address (off_t *addr, ed_buffer_t *ed)
       if ((status = check_address_bounds (*addr, ed)) < 0)
         return status;
       ed->state->dot = *addr;
-      spl1 ();
       if ((status =
            get_matching_node_address (get_compiled_regex (c, RE_SEARCH, ed),
                                       c == '/', addr, ed)) < 0)
         {
-          spl0 ();
           return status;
         }
-      spl0 ();
       if (*ed->input == c)
         ++ed->input;
       break;
diff --git a/src/re.c b/src/re.c
index 6ac2173a..e069b63d 100644
--- a/src/re.c
+++ b/src/re.c
@@ -251,12 +251,16 @@ get_matching_node_address (const regex_t *re, int dir, off_t *addr,
     return ERR;
   do
     {
+      spl1 ();
       if ((*addr = (dir ? INC_MOD (*addr, ed->state->lines)
                     : DEC_MOD (*addr, ed->state->lines))))
         {
           lp = get_line_node (*addr, ed);
           if (!(s = get_buffer_line (lp, ed)))
-            return ERR;
+            {
+              spl0 ();
+              return ERR;
+            }
 #ifdef REG_STARTEND
           rm->rm_so = 0;
           rm->rm_eo = lp->len;
@@ -266,8 +270,12 @@ get_matching_node_address (const regex_t *re, int dir, off_t *addr,
             NUL_TO_NEWLINE (s, lp->len);
           if (!regexec (re, s, 0, NULL, 0))
 #endif  /* !defined (REG_STARTEND) */
-            return 0;
+            {
+              spl0 ();
+              return 0;
+            }
         }
+      spl0 ();
     }
   while (*addr != ed->state->dot);
   ed->exec->err = _("No match");