diff --git a/chameleonic.p8 b/chameleonic.p8
index 5e8ce5f..ce2645e 100644
--- a/chameleonic.p8
+++ b/chameleonic.p8
@@ -44,23 +44,29 @@ end
 -- %! for tostring(param)
 --    which dumps tables
 function fmt(f, ...)
- local out, i = "", 1
+ local out, i = "", 0
  for s in all(split(f,"%")) do
-  local m = s[1]
-  if m == "~" then
-   out ..= "%"
+  if i == 0 then
+   -- before first format directive
+   out ..= s
+   i = 1
   else
-   local p = select(i,...)
-   i+=1
-   if m == "v" then
-    out ..= p
-   elseif m == "!" then
-    out ..= tostring(p)
+   local m = s[1]
+   if m == "~" then
+    out ..= "%"
    else
-    out ..= "(?!:"..m..":"..tostring(p)..")"
+    local p = select(i,...)
+    i+=1
+    if m == "v" then
+     out ..= p
+    elseif m == "!" then
+     out ..= tostring(p)
+    else
+     out ..= "(?!:"..m..":"..tostring(p)..")"
+    end
    end
+   out ..=sub(s,2)
   end
-  out ..=sub(s,2)
  end
  return out
 end