diff --git a/lib/tput.js b/lib/tput.js
index 86c5cfe..8c9b738 100644
--- a/lib/tput.js
+++ b/lib/tput.js
@@ -342,6 +342,10 @@ Tput.prototype._compile = function(val) {
     , i
     , v
 
+  var then
+    , els
+    , end;
+
   function clear() {
     if (buff) {
       echo(JSON.stringify(buff).replace(/\\u001b/g, '\\x1b'));
@@ -654,10 +658,11 @@ Tput.prototype._compile = function(val) {
     }
 
     if (read(/^%e/)) {
-      var end = val.indexOf('%;');
-      var els = val.indexOf('%e');
-      var then = val.indexOf('%t');
-      // does else if's like this: %?[expr]%t...%e[expr]%t...%;
+      then = val.indexOf('%t');
+      els = val.indexOf('%e');
+      end = val.indexOf('%;');
+      // Terminfo does elseif's like
+      // this: %?[expr]%t...%e[expr]%t...%;
       if (then < end && then < els) {
         stmt('} else if (');
       } else {