diff --git a/src/reader.c b/src/reader.c
index ed0ec56..7a18fee 100644
--- a/src/reader.c
+++ b/src/reader.c
@@ -95,6 +95,28 @@ read_err_t read_int(sys_t *sys, stream_t *stream, lisp_t **ret)
   return READ_ERR_OK;
 }
 
+read_err_t read_negative(sys_t *sys, stream_t *stream, lisp_t **ret)
+{
+  char c = stream_next(stream);
+  if (isdigit(c))
+  {
+    read_err_t err = read_int(sys, stream, ret);
+    if (err)
+      return err;
+    i64 n = as_int(*ret);
+    n *= -1;
+    *ret = make_int(n);
+    return READ_ERR_OK;
+  }
+  else if (is_sym(c) || isspace(c))
+  {
+    stream_seek_backward(stream, 1);
+    return read_sym(sys, stream, ret);
+  }
+  else
+    return READ_ERR_UNKNOWN_CHAR;
+}
+
 read_err_t read_list(sys_t *sys, stream_t *stream, lisp_t **ret)
 {
   // skip past the open parentheses '('
@@ -172,24 +194,7 @@ read_err_t read(sys_t *sys, stream_t *stream, lisp_t **ret)
   if (isdigit(c))
     return read_int(sys, stream, ret);
   else if (c == '-')
-  {
-    char c1 = stream_next(stream);
-    if (isdigit(c1))
-    {
-      read_err_t err = read_int(sys, stream, ret);
-      if (err)
-        return err;
-      i64 n = as_int(*ret);
-      n *= -1;
-      *ret = make_int(n);
-      return READ_ERR_OK;
-    }
-    else if (is_sym(c1))
-    {
-      stream_seek_backward(stream, 1);
-      return read_sym(sys, stream, ret);
-    }
-  }
+    return read_negative(sys, stream, ret);
   else if (is_sym(c))
     return read_sym(sys, stream, ret);
   else if (c == '\'')