diff --git a/src/lexer.cc b/src/lexer.cc
index d698029..ab63ba3 100644
--- a/src/lexer.cc
+++ b/src/lexer.cc
@@ -886,6 +886,7 @@ std::optional<Regexp> NLexer::_regexp() {
   advance(-1);
   // reset capture indices
   nested_index = 0;
+  inside_index = 0;
   while (branch_reset_indices.size())
     branch_reset_indices.pop();
 
@@ -1228,6 +1229,7 @@ std::optional<Regexp> NLexer::regexp_expression() {
                           RegexpType::SubExprCall, (char)backrefnum,
                           regexp_debug_info(this, "\\g", 2)};
         reg.subexprcall = backrefnum;
+        reg.inside_subexpr = inside_index;
         return reg;
       }
       lexer_error(*this, Errors::InvalidRegexpSyntax, error_token(),
@@ -1463,6 +1465,7 @@ std::optional<Regexp> NLexer::regexp_expression() {
   // parenthesised expression
   if (c == '(') {
     nested_index++;
+    inside_index++;
     std::optional<int> reset_branch{};
     int branch = 0;
     if (!branch_reset_indices.empty()) {
@@ -1492,6 +1495,7 @@ std::optional<Regexp> NLexer::regexp_expression() {
           }
         }
         advance(1); // consume ')'
+        inside_index--;
         if (seen_newline) {
           const Token &mtoken = error_token();
           lexer_error(*this, Errors::InvalidRegexpSyntax, mtoken,
@@ -1511,6 +1515,7 @@ std::optional<Regexp> NLexer::regexp_expression() {
         // what _this_ index is
         branch_reset_indices.push(nested_index);
         auto reg = regexp();
+        inside_index--;
         if (reset_branch.has_value()) {
           nested_index = *reset_branch;
           branch_reset_indices.push(branch);
@@ -1540,6 +1545,7 @@ std::optional<Regexp> NLexer::regexp_expression() {
           nested_index = *reset_branch;
           branch_reset_indices.push(branch);
         }
+        inside_index--;
         return {};
       }
       if (c == '<' || c == '=') {
@@ -1550,6 +1556,7 @@ std::optional<Regexp> NLexer::regexp_expression() {
           nested_index = *reset_branch;
           branch_reset_indices.push(branch);
         }
+        inside_index--;
         return {};
       }
       if (c == '>') {
@@ -1560,6 +1567,7 @@ std::optional<Regexp> NLexer::regexp_expression() {
           nested_index = *reset_branch;
           branch_reset_indices.push(branch);
         }
+        inside_index--;
         return {};
       }
       if (c == ':') {
@@ -1572,6 +1580,7 @@ std::optional<Regexp> NLexer::regexp_expression() {
         if (!reg.has_value())
           return reg;
         auto &rv = reg.value();
+        inside_index--;
         c = *source_p;
         if (c != ')') {
           const Token &mtoken = error_token();
@@ -1589,6 +1598,7 @@ std::optional<Regexp> NLexer::regexp_expression() {
     }
     auto my_index = nested_index;
     auto reg = regexp();
+    inside_index--;
     if (reset_branch.has_value()) {
       nested_index = *reset_branch;
       branch_reset_indices.push(branch);
@@ -2068,6 +2078,7 @@ Regexp::compile(std::multimap<const Regexp *, NFANode<std::string> *> &cache,
     NFANode<std::string> *tl = new NFANode<std::string>{"R<>" + mangle()};
     parent->epsilon_transition_to(tl);
     tl->subexpr_call = subexprcall;
+    tl->inside_subexpr = inside_subexpr;
     tl->named_rule = namef;
     result = tl;
     result->debug_info = debug_info;
diff --git a/src/lexer.hpp b/src/lexer.hpp
index 5ad5352..49c566d 100644
--- a/src/lexer.hpp
+++ b/src/lexer.hpp
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ class NLexer {
   int offset;
   char buffer[1024000];
   int nested_index = 0;
+  int inside_index = 0;
   /// If there's anything on this, reset index to it
   /// when matching alternatives
   std::stack<int> branch_reset_indices{};
diff --git a/src/nfa.hpp b/src/nfa.hpp
index 2f0c312..3bfc198 100644
--- a/src/nfa.hpp
+++ b/src/nfa.hpp
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ template <typename StateInfoT> class DFANode {
   std::vector<RegexpAssertion> assertions = {};
   std::set<int> subexpr_idxs = {};
   std::set<int> subexpr_end_idxs = {};
+  int inside_subexpr = -1;
   std::optional<int> backreference{};
   int subexpr_call = -1;
   bool subexpr_recurses = false;
@@ -128,6 +129,7 @@ template <typename StateInfoT> class NFANode {
        subexpr_end = false, reference_node = false;
   int max_opt_steps = 50;
   int opt_step = max_opt_steps;
+  int inside_subexpr = -1;
 
   std::optional<std::string> inline_code =
       {}; // code that would be executed should this node match
@@ -150,7 +152,6 @@ template <typename StateInfoT> class NFANode {
   int subexpr_idx = -1;
   int subexpr_end_idx = -1;
   int subexpr_call = -1;
-  bool subexpr_recurses = false;
 
   NFANode(StateInfoT s) : state_info(s) {}
   NFANode() {}
diff --git a/src/parser.cc b/src/parser.cc
index 5c7d1e4..8d43219 100644
--- a/src/parser.cc
+++ b/src/parser.cc
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ inline static void parser_error_impl(char const *fmt, va_list arg) {
   std::vprintf(fmt, arg);
 }
 
+static int sexpr_being_built = 0;
+
 char *parser_errors[(int)ParserErrors::LAST - 10] = {
     [(int)ParserErrors::InvalidToken - 11] = "Invalid token",
     [(int)ParserErrors::FeatureUnsupported - 11] = "Unsupported feature",
@@ -1298,6 +1300,7 @@ template <typename T> DFANode<std::set<NFANode<T> *>> *NFANode<T>::to_dfa() {
         }
         dfanode->subexpr_recurses =
             dfanode->subexpr_call <= dfanode->subexpr_end_idxs.size();
+        dfanode->inside_subexpr = s->inside_subexpr;
         dfanode->subexpr_call = s->subexpr_call;
       }
       if (s->backreference.has_value()) {
@@ -1539,6 +1542,8 @@ void DFANLVMCodeGenerator<T>::generate(
       for (auto subexpr_idx : node->subexpr_idxs) {
         if (!subexprFunc.count(subexpr_idx))
           continue;
+        int sbb = sexpr_being_built;
+        sexpr_being_built = subexpr_idx;
         decltype(visited) _visited;
         typename std::remove_reference<decltype(blk)>::type _blocks;
         auto scope = subexprFunc[subexpr_idx];
@@ -1585,6 +1590,7 @@ void DFANLVMCodeGenerator<T>::generate(
         dbuilder.CreateCondBr(matched, mroot, builder.module.BBfinalise);
 
         builder.module.exit_main();
+        sexpr_being_built = sbb;
       }
     }
   builder.issubexp = wasub;
@@ -1913,7 +1919,7 @@ void DFANLVMCodeGenerator<T>::generate(
   }
   // if there is a subexpr call, create it now
   if (node->subexpr_call > -1 &&
-      (node->subexpr_recurses || node->subexpr_call > subexprFunc.size())) {
+      (node->subexpr_recurses || sexpr_being_built < node->subexpr_call)) {
     llvm::Function *fn;
     auto val = builder.module.current_main()->arg_begin();
     if (subexprFunc.count(node->subexpr_call))
diff --git a/src/regexp.hpp b/src/regexp.hpp
index b54d2ef..4ce92b8 100644
--- a/src/regexp.hpp
+++ b/src/regexp.hpp
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ class Regexp {
   bool plus = false, star = false, lazy = false, store = false;
   int index = 0;        // applies for nested and backref (escape)
   int subexprcall = -1; // applies for SubExprCall
+  int inside_subexpr = -1; // applies for SubExprCall
 
   std::optional<RepeatQuantifier> repeat;
 
diff --git a/tests/inputs/0012-subexpr-expr.input b/tests/inputs/0012-subexpr-expr.input
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..743023b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/inputs/0012-subexpr-expr.input
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+testhelloooohellotest
diff --git a/tests/list-tests b/tests/list-tests
index 6df667e..1999864 100644
--- a/tests/list-tests
+++ b/tests/list-tests
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@
 0009-pos
 0010-pl
 0011-subexpr
+0012-subexpr-expr
diff --git a/tests/outputs/0008-literal-match.stdout b/tests/outputs/0008-literal-match.stdout
index ed639ee..8c25f93 100644
--- a/tests/outputs/0008-literal-match.stdout
+++ b/tests/outputs/0008-literal-match.stdout
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-res at 0x7ffe8df3e678, s at 0x7ff892c2e010
+res at 0x7ffc26eda248, s at 0x7fc1109a1010
 processing - 'HELP😒
 '
 match {'HELP' - (null) - 4 literal} is a stopword
diff --git a/tests/outputs/0011-subexpr.stdout b/tests/outputs/0011-subexpr.stdout
index 6df7ef1..6d256bd 100644
--- a/tests/outputs/0011-subexpr.stdout
+++ b/tests/outputs/0011-subexpr.stdout
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-res at 0x7ffdeebc6688, s at 0x7fcaae9ea010
+res at 0x7ffd5f1a3468, s at 0x7ff8bcfe3010
 processing - 'testtest'
 match {'testtest' - (null) - 8 expr} is not a stopword
 no match {'' - (null) - 0 expr} is not a stopword
diff --git a/tests/outputs/0012-subexpr-expr.stderr b/tests/outputs/0012-subexpr-expr.stderr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/outputs/0012-subexpr-expr.stdout b/tests/outputs/0012-subexpr-expr.stdout
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..501a330
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/outputs/0012-subexpr-expr.stdout
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+res at 0x7ffc99366f18, s at 0x7fc02f781010
+processing - 'testhelloooohellotest'
+match {'testhelloooo' - (null) - 12 expr} is not a stopword
+match {'hellotest' - (null) - 9 expr} is not a stopword
+no match {'' - (null) - 0 expr} is not a stopword
diff --git a/tests/sources/0012-subexpr-expr.nlex b/tests/sources/0012-subexpr-expr.nlex
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..12b016d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/sources/0012-subexpr-expr.nlex
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+expr :: (test|hello+)\g1
+