diff --git a/spec/compiler/prepare_grammar/expand_repeats_spec.cc b/spec/compiler/prepare_grammar/expand_repeats_spec.cc
index 8da8ac73..c25ff47c 100644
--- a/spec/compiler/prepare_grammar/expand_repeats_spec.cc
+++ b/spec/compiler/prepare_grammar/expand_repeats_spec.cc
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ describe("expand_repeats", []() {
 
     AssertThat(result.variables, Equals(vector<Variable>({
       Variable("rule0", VariableTypeNamed, i_sym(1)),
-      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, seq({
+      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, choice({
+        seq({ i_sym(1), i_token(0) }),
         i_token(0),
-        choice({ i_sym(1), blank() })
       })),
     })));
   });
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ describe("expand_repeats", []() {
         i_token(10),
         i_sym(1),
       })),
-      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, seq({
-        i_token(11),
-        choice({ i_sym(1), blank() })
+      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, choice({
+        seq({ i_sym(1), i_token(11) }),
+        i_token(11)
       })),
     })));
   });
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ describe("expand_repeats", []() {
         i_token(10),
         i_sym(1),
       })),
-      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, seq({
+      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, choice({
+        seq({ i_sym(1), i_token(11) }),
         i_token(11),
-        choice({ i_sym(1), blank() }),
       })),
     })));
   });
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ describe("expand_repeats", []() {
         i_token(3),
         i_sym(2),
       })),
-      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, seq({
+      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, choice({
+        seq({ i_sym(2), i_token(4) }),
         i_token(4),
-        choice({ i_sym(2), blank() }),
       })),
     })));
   });
@@ -115,13 +115,13 @@ describe("expand_repeats", []() {
         i_sym(1),
         i_sym(2),
       })),
-      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, seq({
+      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, choice({
+        seq({ i_sym(1), i_token(10) }),
         i_token(10),
-        choice({ i_sym(1), blank() }),
       })),
-      Variable("rule0_repeat2", VariableTypeAuxiliary, seq({
+      Variable("rule0_repeat2", VariableTypeAuxiliary, choice({
+        seq({ i_sym(2), i_token(11) }),
         i_token(11),
-        choice({ i_sym(2), blank() }),
       })),
     })));
   });
@@ -137,13 +137,13 @@ describe("expand_repeats", []() {
     AssertThat(result.variables, Equals(vector<Variable>({
       Variable("rule0", VariableTypeNamed, i_sym(2)),
       Variable("rule1", VariableTypeNamed, i_sym(3)),
-      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, seq({
+      Variable("rule0_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, choice({
+        seq({ i_sym(2), i_token(10) }),
         i_token(10),
-        choice({ i_sym(2), blank() }),
       })),
-      Variable("rule1_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, seq({
+      Variable("rule1_repeat1", VariableTypeAuxiliary, choice({
+        seq({ i_sym(3), i_token(11) }),
         i_token(11),
-        choice({ i_sym(3), blank() })
       })),
     })));
   });
diff --git a/src/compiler/prepare_grammar/expand_repeats.cc b/src/compiler/prepare_grammar/expand_repeats.cc
index 727b8a4d..7963e94b 100644
--- a/src/compiler/prepare_grammar/expand_repeats.cc
+++ b/src/compiler/prepare_grammar/expand_repeats.cc
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ class ExpandRepeats : public rules::IdentityRuleFn {
     string helper_rule_name = rule_name + "_repeat" + to_string(++repeat_count);
     Symbol repeat_symbol(offset + index);
     existing_repeats.push_back({ rule->copy(), repeat_symbol });
-    aux_rules.push_back(Variable(
-      helper_rule_name, VariableTypeAuxiliary,
-      Seq::build({ inner_rule, Choice::build({ repeat_symbol.copy(),
-                                               make_shared<Blank>() }) })));
+    aux_rules.push_back(
+      Variable(helper_rule_name, VariableTypeAuxiliary,
+               Choice::build({ Seq::build({ repeat_symbol.copy(), inner_rule }),
+                               inner_rule })));
     return repeat_symbol.copy();
   }