diff --git a/compiler/pp/command.go b/compiler/pp/command.go
index 75e2753..80b3a15 100644
--- a/compiler/pp/command.go
+++ b/compiler/pp/command.go
@@ -81,13 +81,19 @@ func ParseRule(directive string, isCommand, caseSens bool) *Rule {
 		ResultTmpl: result,
 	}
 
-	// Extract first keyword for fast matching
+	// Extract first keyword for fast matching. The first whitespace-
+	// delimited token of the pattern becomes the dispatch key; we
+	// strip marker wrappers and any trailing `(` so a pattern like
+	// `MAKE_TEST( <obj>, <v> )` hashes on `MAKE_TEST`, matching how
+	// firstToken normalises source lines.
 	words := strings.Fields(pattern)
 	if len(words) > 0 {
 		kw := words[0]
-		// Remove marker brackets
 		kw = strings.TrimLeft(kw, "<[")
 		kw = strings.TrimRight(kw, ">]")
+		if idx := strings.IndexByte(kw, '('); idx >= 0 {
+			kw = kw[:idx]
+		}
 		if !strings.ContainsAny(kw, "!*,:") {
 			rule.Keyword = kw
 		}