diff --git a/lang/ast/expr/arith.c b/lang/ast/expr/arith.c
index 8e4d6b0..179529d 100644
--- a/lang/ast/expr/arith.c
+++ b/lang/ast/expr/arith.c
@@ -768,6 +768,14 @@ struct token_parse_result arith_parse_right_bracket(
 	struct expr_parser_state *state
 		= parser_get_state(ctx, struct expr_parser_state);
 
+	if (expr_terminates_at_token(state, IVY_SYM_RIGHT_BRACKET)) {
+		state->s_prev_token = IVY_SYM_RIGHT_BRACKET;
+		struct token_parse_result result
+			= expr_finalise_and_return(ctx, state);
+		result.r_flags = PARSE_REPEAT_TOKEN;
+		return result;
+	}
+
 	if (state->s_prev_token == IVY_SYM_LEFT_BRACKET) {
 		/* we've just parsed a subscript operator. nothing further to do here. */
 		return PARSE_RESULT(IVY_OK, 0);