diff --git a/vlib/compiler/gen_c.v b/vlib/compiler/gen_c.v
index 98659a8100..654bda8cb6 100644
--- a/vlib/compiler/gen_c.v
+++ b/vlib/compiler/gen_c.v
@@ -126,9 +126,9 @@ fn (p mut Parser) gen_handle_option_or_else(_typ, name string, fn_call_ph int) s
 	last_ph := p.cgen.add_placeholder()
 	last_typ := p.statements()
 	if is_assign && last_typ == typ {
-		expr_line := p.cgen.lines[p.cgen.lines.len-3]
+		expr_line := p.cgen.lines[p.cgen.lines.len-2]
 		last_expr := expr_line[last_ph..]
-		p.cgen.lines[p.cgen.lines.len-3]  = ''
+		p.cgen.lines[p.cgen.lines.len-2]  = ''
 		p.genln('if (!$tmp .ok) {')
 		p.genln('$name = $last_expr;')
 		p.genln('}')