diff --git a/src/nnn.c b/src/nnn.c
index 7cb1045d..7fed1d53 100644
--- a/src/nnn.c
+++ b/src/nnn.c
@@ -1205,7 +1205,7 @@ static int filterentries(char *path)
 
 		if (r == OK) {
 			/* Handle all control chars in main loop */
-			if (keyname(*ch)[0] == '^') {
+			if (keyname(*ch)[0] == '^' && *ch != '^') {
 				if (len == 1)
 					cur = oldcur;
 				goto end;