diff --git a/src/parser/wordsplit/rule_utils.c b/src/parser/wordsplit/rule_utils.c
index c06061d..e9ba196 100644
--- a/src/parser/wordsplit/rule_utils.c
+++ b/src/parser/wordsplit/rule_utils.c
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@
 /*   By: khais <marvin@42.fr>                       +#+  +:+       +#+        */
 /*                                                +#+#+#+#+#+   +#+           */
 /*   Created: 2025/02/20 12:01:57 by khais             #+#    #+#             */
-/*   Updated: 2025/02/20 12:27:45 by khais            ###   ########.fr       */
+/*   Updated: 2025/02/20 13:18:22 by khais            ###   ########.fr       */
 /*                                                                            */
 /* ************************************************************************** */
 
 #include "rule_utils.h"
+#include "../matchers/operator_combo.h"
 
 /*
 ** return true if we are in an unquoted operator state
@@ -27,3 +28,17 @@ bool	unquoted(t_token_build *builder)
 {
 	return (builder->quote == '\0');
 }
+
+/*
+** return true if the current char combines with the current token to form an
+** operator.
+**
+** If current token is null, return false
+*/
+bool	operator_combo(t_token_build *builder, char *original)
+{
+	if (builder->cur_token == NULL)
+		return (false);
+	return (is_operator_combo(builder->cur_token->buffer,
+			original[builder->idx]));
+}
diff --git a/src/parser/wordsplit/rule_utils.h b/src/parser/wordsplit/rule_utils.h
index 60ecf5e..5326641 100644
--- a/src/parser/wordsplit/rule_utils.h
+++ b/src/parser/wordsplit/rule_utils.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 /*   By: khais <marvin@42.fr>                       +#+  +:+       +#+        */
 /*                                                +#+#+#+#+#+   +#+           */
 /*   Created: 2025/02/20 12:01:31 by khais             #+#    #+#             */
-/*   Updated: 2025/02/20 12:27:05 by khais            ###   ########.fr       */
+/*   Updated: 2025/02/20 13:16:06 by khais            ###   ########.fr       */
 /*                                                                            */
 /* ************************************************************************** */
 
@@ -18,5 +18,6 @@
 
 bool	unquoted_operator(t_token_build *builder);
 bool	unquoted(t_token_build *builder);
+bool	operator_combo(t_token_build *builder, char *original);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/parser/wordsplit/tokenizing_1_5.c b/src/parser/wordsplit/tokenizing_1_5.c
index db07675..8e78299 100644
--- a/src/parser/wordsplit/tokenizing_1_5.c
+++ b/src/parser/wordsplit/tokenizing_1_5.c
@@ -6,12 +6,11 @@
 /*   By: khais <marvin@42.fr>                       +#+  +:+       +#+        */
 /*                                                +#+#+#+#+#+   +#+           */
 /*   Created: 2025/02/19 13:20:01 by jguelen           #+#    #+#             */
-/*   Updated: 2025/02/20 12:23:27 by khais            ###   ########.fr       */
+/*   Updated: 2025/02/20 13:22:35 by khais            ###   ########.fr       */
 /*                                                                            */
 /* ************************************************************************** */
 
 #include "wordsplit.h"
-#include "../matchers/operator_combo.h"
 #include "rule_utils.h"
 
 /*
@@ -40,10 +39,7 @@ bool	rule_eof(t_token_build *builder, char *original)
 */
 bool	rule_combine_operator(t_token_build *builder, char *original)
 {
-	// FIXME: operator combo null check
-	if (unquoted_operator(builder)
-		&& is_operator_combo(builder->cur_token->buffer,
-			original[builder->idx]))
+	if (unquoted_operator(builder) && operator_combo(builder, original))
 	{
 		push_char(builder, original[builder->idx]);
 		builder->idx++;
@@ -59,9 +55,7 @@ bool	rule_combine_operator(t_token_build *builder, char *original)
 */
 bool	rule_operator_end(t_token_build *builder, char *original)
 {
-	if (unquoted_operator(builder)
-		&& !is_operator_combo(builder->cur_token->buffer,
-			original[builder->idx]))
+	if (unquoted_operator(builder) && !operator_combo(builder, original))
 	{
 		delimit(builder);
 		return (true);