diff --git a/lib/construct.c b/lib/construct.c
index 3eb4811..0697046 100644
--- a/lib/construct.c
+++ b/lib/construct.c
@@ -99,35 +99,33 @@ static void retarget_merged_rules(
 		if (0 == rules[i].next)
 			continue;
 
-		// IDs less than initial have to be offset by one less than
-		// base_count because the final state (ID zero) is not copied.
-		// If they are greater it's two less as the initial state is
-		// also not copied.  Finally, if the target is the initial
-		// state then it should be changed to the base's initial
-		// state.
+		// If the state came before the initial state it should be
+		// offset by one less than base_count, because the final state
+		// (index zero) came before it and was not copied into the
+		// base.
+		const int before_offset = base_count - 1;
+
+		// If it came after the initial state it must be offset by two
+		// less than base_count because both the final state and the
+		// initial state came before it and were not copied -- unless
+		// the initial state is the same state as the final state, in
+		// which case the offset is still only one less than
+		// base_count.
+		const int after_offset = base_count - (0 != initial ? 2 : 1);
+
 		if (rules[i].next < initial)
-			rules[i].next += base_count - 1;
+			rules[i].next += before_offset;
 		else if (rules[i].next > initial)
-			rules[i].next += base_count - 2;
-		else
+			rules[i].next += after_offset;
+		else if (rules[i].next == initial)
 			rules[i].next = base_initial;
 	}
 }
 
 static void merge_fsas(fsa_t *base, const fsa_t *other)
 {
-	const int new_count = base->count + other->count - 2;
-	if (base->capacity < new_count) {
-		do
-			base->capacity *= 2;
-		while (base->capacity < new_count);
-		base->states
-		    = realloc(base->states, base->capacity * sizeof(fsa_state_t));
-		assert(base->states);
-	}
-
-	// Copy rules from the other's initial state into the base's, then
-	// retarget them.
+	// Copy rules from the other's initial state into the base's
+	// initial state.
 	fsa_state_t *initial = &base->states[base->initial];
 	const fsa_state_t *other_initial = &other->states[other->initial];
 	const int new_rule_count = initial->count + other_initial->count;
@@ -142,13 +140,23 @@ static void merge_fsas(fsa_t *base, const fsa_t *other)
 	memcpy(
 	    &initial->rules[initial->count], other_initial->rules,
 	    other_initial->count * sizeof(fsa_rule_t));
+
+	// Retarget the copied rules.
 	retarget_merged_rules(
 	    &initial->rules[initial->count], other_initial->count,
 	    other->initial, base->initial, base->count);
-	initial->count = new_rule_count;
 
-	// Copy other states, skipping the initial state, then retarget
-	// their rules.
+	// Copy other states, skipping the initial state.
+	const int skipped_states = other->initial != 0 ? 2 : 1;
+	const int new_count = base->count + other->count - skipped_states;
+	if (base->capacity < new_count) {
+		do
+			base->capacity *= 2;
+		while (base->capacity < new_count);
+		base->states
+		    = realloc(base->states, base->capacity * sizeof(fsa_state_t));
+		assert(base->states);
+	}
 	int offset = base->count;
 	if (1 < other->initial) {
 		const int copy_count = other->initial - 1;
@@ -163,15 +171,20 @@ static void merge_fsas(fsa_t *base, const fsa_t *other)
 		    &base->states[offset], &other->states[other->initial],
 		    copy_size);
 	}
+
+	// Retarget the copied states' rules.
 	for (int i = base->count; i < new_count; ++i) {
 		retarget_merged_rules(
 		    base->states[i].rules, base->states[i].count, other->initial,
 		    base->initial, base->count);
 	}
+
+	initial->count = new_rule_count;
 	base->count = new_count;
 
 	free(other->states[0].rules);
-	free(other->states[other->initial].rules);
+	if (other->initial != 0)
+		free(other->states[other->initial].rules);
 	free(other->states);
 
 	assert(base->states[0].final);