diff --git a/src/parse.c b/src/parse.c
index 41f6a06..e0468ee 100644
--- a/src/parse.c
+++ b/src/parse.c
@@ -683,12 +683,14 @@ psyc_parse_list (PsycParseListState *state, PsycString *type, PsycString *elem)
 	    switch (parse_binary((ParseState*)state, state->elemlen, elem,
 				 &state->elem_parsed)) {
 	    case PARSE_SUCCESS:
+                state->part = PSYC_LIST_PART_ELEM_START;
 		if (elem->length == state->elem_parsed)
 		    ret = PSYC_PARSE_LIST_ELEM;
 		else
 		    ret = PSYC_PARSE_LIST_ELEM_END;
 		break;
 	    case PARSE_INCOMPLETE:
+                state->part = PSYC_LIST_PART_ELEM;
 		if (elem->length == state->elem_parsed)
 		    ret = PSYC_PARSE_LIST_ELEM_START;
 		else
@@ -700,6 +702,7 @@ psyc_parse_list (PsycParseListState *state, PsycString *type, PsycString *elem)
 	} else {
 	    switch (parse_until((ParseState*)state, '|', elem)) {
 	    case PARSE_SUCCESS:
+                state->part = PSYC_LIST_PART_ELEM_START;
 		ret = PSYC_PARSE_LIST_ELEM;
 		break;
 	    case PARSE_INSUFFICIENT:
@@ -710,7 +713,6 @@ psyc_parse_list (PsycParseListState *state, PsycString *type, PsycString *elem)
 	    }
 	}
 
-	state->part = PSYC_LIST_PART_ELEM_START;
 	state->startc = state->cursor;
 	return ret;
     }