diff --git a/bash-abbr b/bash-abbr
index 975b791..5a15319 100644
--- a/bash-abbr
+++ b/bash-abbr
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ _control_op () {
                _bg_proc_or_and_and='[^&;]&&?' \
                _pipe_or_or_or='[^&|;]\|\|?' \
                _semicolon_or_case_operators='[^;|];;?&?' \
-               _opening_paren='[^[:alnum:]]\('
+                _opening_paren='(^|[^[:alnum:]])\('
     declare _control_op="^"
     _control_op+="|$_newline"
     _control_op+="|$_bg_proc_or_and_and"