diff --git a/masm/parse.c b/masm/parse.c
index 2e404ad..3cbe305 100644
--- a/masm/parse.c
+++ b/masm/parse.c
@@ -916,13 +916,14 @@ static int parse_pseudo_instruction(struct parser *parser,
 	else CHK(move)
 		res = parse_pseudo_move(parser, expr);
 
-	if (res)
+	if (res) {
+		// reset on fail
 		lexer_load(parser->lexer, &state);
-
-	expr->ins[0].data.raw = 0;
-	expr->ins[1].data.raw = 0;
-	expr->ref[0] = (struct reference) {0};
-	expr->ref[1] = (struct reference) {0};
+		expr->ins[0].data.raw = 0;
+		expr->ins[1].data.raw = 0;
+		expr->ref[0] = (struct reference) {0};
+		expr->ref[1] = (struct reference) {0};
+	}
 
 	log_disabled = 0;
 	return res;