diff --git a/expand.go b/expand.go
index 7cf32ef..9e35f53 100644
--- a/expand.go
+++ b/expand.go
@@ -59,9 +59,10 @@ func expand(input string, vars map[string][]string, expandBackticks bool) []stri
 			var outparts []string
 			outparts, off = expandSigil(input[i:], vars)
 			if len(outparts) > 0 {
-				outparts[0] = expanded + outparts[0]
-				expanded = outparts[len(outparts)-1]
-				parts = append(parts, outparts[:len(outparts)-1]...)
+				parts = append(parts, expanded+outparts[0])
+				if len(outparts) > 1 {
+					parts = append(parts, outparts[1:len(outparts)-1]...)
+				}
 			}
 		}