diff --git a/C/parser.c b/C/parser.c
index 1ad461938..3dff8c89f 100644
--- a/C/parser.c
+++ b/C/parser.c
@@ -581,31 +581,19 @@ ParseTerm(int prio, JMPBUFF *FailBuff)
       break;
     case '[':
       NextToken;
-      if (Yap_tokptr->Tok == Ord(Ponctuation_tok) &&
-	  Unsigned(Yap_tokptr->TokInfo) == ']') {
-	t = TermNil;
-	NextToken;
-      } else {
-	t = ParseList(FailBuff);
-	checkfor((Term) ']', FailBuff);
-      }
+      t = ParseList(FailBuff);
+      checkfor((Term) ']', FailBuff);
       break;
     case '{':
       NextToken;
-      if (Yap_tokptr->Tok == Ord(Ponctuation_tok) &&
-	  Unsigned(Yap_tokptr->TokInfo) == '}') {
-	t = MkAtomTerm(NameOfFunctor(FunctorBraces));
-	NextToken;
-      } else {
-	t = ParseTerm(1200, FailBuff);
-	t = Yap_MkApplTerm(FunctorBraces, 1, &t);
-	/* check for possible overflow against local stack */
-	if (H > ASP-4096) {
-	  Yap_ErrorMessage = "Stack Overflow";
-	  FAIL;
-	}  
-	checkfor((Term) '}', FailBuff);
-      }
+      t = ParseTerm(1200, FailBuff);
+      t = Yap_MkApplTerm(FunctorBraces, 1, &t);
+      /* check for possible overflow against local stack */
+      if (H > ASP-4096) {
+	Yap_ErrorMessage = "Stack Overflow";
+	FAIL;
+      }  
+      checkfor((Term) '}', FailBuff);
       break;
     default:
       FAIL;
diff --git a/C/scanner.c b/C/scanner.c
index 25e639a2d..d6752cec8 100644
--- a/C/scanner.c
+++ b/C/scanner.c
@@ -1194,6 +1194,24 @@ Yap_tokenizer(int inp_stream, Term *tposp)
       if (t->TokInfo == '(' && !solo_flag) {
 	t->TokInfo = 'l';
 	solo_flag = TRUE;
+      } else if (och == '[')  {
+	while (chtype(ch) == BS) {  ch = Nxtch(inp_stream); };
+	if (ch == ']') {
+	  t->TokInfo = Unsigned(AtomNil);
+	  t->Tok = Ord(kind = Name_tok);
+	  ch = Nxtch(inp_stream);
+	  solo_flag = FALSE;
+	  break;
+	}
+      } else if (och == '{')  {
+	while (chtype(ch) == BS) {  ch = Nxtch(inp_stream); };
+	if (ch == '}') {
+	  t->TokInfo = Unsigned(AtomBraces);
+	  t->Tok = Ord(kind = Name_tok);
+	  ch = Nxtch(inp_stream);
+	  solo_flag = FALSE;
+	  break;
+	}
       }
       t->Tok = Ord(kind = Ponctuation_tok);
       break;