diff --git a/src/cmd/ksh93/sh/name.c b/src/cmd/ksh93/sh/name.c
index a00fc66d0..81b1fda19 100644
--- a/src/cmd/ksh93/sh/name.c
+++ b/src/cmd/ksh93/sh/name.c
@@ -2646,6 +2646,13 @@ void nv_optimize(Namval_t *np)
 		}
 		if((xp= (struct optimize*)fp) && xp->ptr==shp->argaddr)
 			return;
+		if(xp && xp->next)
+		{
+			register struct optimize *xpn;
+			for(xpn = xp->next; xpn; xpn = xpn->next)
+				if(xpn->ptr == shp->argaddr && xpn->np == np)
+					return;
+		}
 		if(op = opt_free)
 			opt_free = op->next;
 		else