diff --git a/vcf.c b/vcf.c
index 9ab39b9af..194547d73 100644
--- a/vcf.c
+++ b/vcf.c
@@ -426,50 +426,38 @@ bcf_hrec_t *bcf_hdr_parse_line(const bcf_hdr_t *h, const char *line, int *len)
         if (bcf_hrec_add_key(hrec, p, q-p-m) < 0) goto fail;
         p = ++q;
         while ( *q && *q==' ' ) { p++; q++; }
-        int quoted = *p=='"' ? 1 : 0;
-        int bracketed = *p=='[' ? 1 : 0;
-        if ( bracketed ) {
-            p++, q++;
-            while ( *q && *q != '\n' )
-            {
-                if ( bracketed ) { if ( *q==']' && !is_escaped(p,q) ) break; }
-                else
-                {
-                    if ( *q=='<' ) nopen++;
-                    if ( *q=='>' ) nopen--;
-                    if ( !nopen ) break;
-                    if ( *q==',' && nopen==1 ) break;
-                }
-                q++;
-            }
-            const char *r = q;
-            while ( r > p && r[-1] == ' ' ) r--;
-            if (bcf_hrec_set_val(hrec, hrec->nkeys-1, p, r-p, bracketed) < 0)
-                goto fail;
-            if ( bracketed && *q==']' ) q++;
-            if ( *q=='>' ) { nopen--; q++; }
-        } else
+
+        int quoted = 0;
+        char ending;
+        switch (*p) {
+        case '"':
+            quoted = 1;
+            ending = '"';
+            break;
+        case '[':
+            quoted = 1;
+            ending = ']';
+            break;
+        }
+        if ( quoted ) p++, q++;
+        while ( *q && *q != '\n' )
         {
-            if ( quoted ) p++, q++;
-            while ( *q && *q != '\n' )
+            if ( quoted ) { if ( *q==ending && !is_escaped(p,q) ) break; }
+            else
             {
-                if ( quoted ) { if ( *q=='"' && !is_escaped(p,q) ) break; }
-                else
-                {
-                    if ( *q=='<' ) nopen++;
-                    if ( *q=='>' ) nopen--;
-                    if ( !nopen ) break;
-                    if ( *q==',' && nopen==1 ) break;
-                }
-                q++;
+                if ( *q=='<' ) nopen++;
+                if ( *q=='>' ) nopen--;
+                if ( !nopen ) break;
+                if ( *q==',' && nopen==1 ) break;
             }
-            const char *r = q;
-            while ( r > p && r[-1] == ' ' ) r--;
-            if (bcf_hrec_set_val(hrec, hrec->nkeys-1, p, r-p, quoted) < 0)
-                goto fail;
-            if ( quoted && *q=='"' ) q++;
-            if ( *q=='>' ) { nopen--; q++; }
+            q++;
         }
+        const char *r = q;
+        while ( r > p && r[-1] == ' ' ) r--;
+        if (bcf_hrec_set_val(hrec, hrec->nkeys-1, p, r-p, quoted) < 0)
+            goto fail;
+        if ( quoted && *q==ending ) q++;
+        if ( *q=='>' ) { nopen--; q++; }
     }
 
     // Skip to end of line