diff --git a/bin/ed/re.c b/bin/ed/re.c
index 08a330de3f8..03a343657bb 100644
--- a/bin/ed/re.c
+++ b/bin/ed/re.c
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ extract_pattern(int delimiter)
 		default:
 			break;
 		case '[':
-			if ((nd = parse_char_class(++nd)) == NULL) {
+			if ((nd = parse_char_class(nd + 1)) == NULL) {
 				errmsg = "unbalanced brackets ([])";
 				return NULL;
 			}