diff --git a/xonsh/execer.py b/xonsh/execer.py
index 372a3d516..6065d32b1 100644
--- a/xonsh/execer.py
+++ b/xonsh/execer.py
@@ -185,15 +185,15 @@ class Execer(object):
                     if prev_indent == curr_indent:
                         raise original_error
                 maxcol = self._find_next_break(line, last_error_col)
-                if line.startswith('$['):
-                    # if we have already wrapped this in subproc tokens
-                    # and it still doesn't work, adding more won't help
-                    # anything
-                    raise original_error
                 sbpline = subproc_toks(line,
                                        returnline=True,
                                        maxcol=maxcol,
                                        lexer=self.parser.lexer)
+                if line.startswith('$[$['):
+                    # if we have already wrapped this in subproc tokens
+                    # and it still doesn't work, adding more won't help
+                    # anything
+                    raise original_error
                 if sbpline is None:
                     # subprocess line had no valid tokens, likely because
                     # it only contained a comment.