2 files changed, 8 insertions, 4 deletions
diff --git a/eqn.7 b/eqn.7
index b4910b2e..4d0d2e0d 100644
--- a/eqn.7
+++ b/eqn.7
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ box     : text
         | pile { list }
         | font box
         | SIZE text box
-        | LEFT text box [RIGHT text]
+        | LEFT text eqn [RIGHT text]
 text    : TEXT
 pile    : LPILE
         | CPILE
diff --git a/eqn.c b/eqn.c
index 52b76c45..89147416 100644
--- a/eqn.c
+++ b/eqn.c
@@ -309,14 +309,18 @@ eqn_box(struct eqn_node *ep, struct eqn_box *last)
 			return(EQN_ERR);
 		}
 		left = mandoc_strndup(start, sz);
-		if (EQN_DESCOPE != (c = eqn_eqn(ep, last)))
+		c = eqn_eqn(ep, last);
+		if (last->last)
+			last->last->left = left;
+		else
+			free(left);
+		if (EQN_DESCOPE != c)
 			return(c);
 		assert(last->last);
-		last->last->left = left;
 		eqn_rewind(ep);
 		start = eqn_nexttok(ep, &sz);
 		assert(start);
-		if (STRNEQ(start, sz, "right", 5))
+		if ( ! STRNEQ(start, sz, "right", 5))
 			return(EQN_DESCOPE);
 		if (NULL == (start = eqn_nexttok(ep, &sz))) {
 			EQN_MSG(MANDOCERR_EQNEOF, ep);