diff --git a/src/raddbg/raddbg_eval.c b/src/raddbg/raddbg_eval.c
index ff3e7ee3..f2674ae2 100644
--- a/src/raddbg/raddbg_eval.c
+++ b/src/raddbg/raddbg_eval.c
@@ -1661,8 +1661,19 @@ E_TYPE_EXPAND_RANGE_FUNCTION_DEF(debug_info_table)
     // rjf: build a valid expression string given item string
     String8 item_expr = item_string;
     {
-      E_TokenArray tokens = e_token_array_from_text(scratch.arena, item_expr);
-      if(tokens.count != 1)
+      B32 string_can_be_evalled = 1;
+      E_TokenArray tokens = e_token_array_from_text(scratch.arena, item_string);
+      for EachIndex(idx, tokens.count)
+      {
+        String8 token_string = str8_substr(item_string, tokens.v[idx].range);
+        if(tokens.v[idx].kind != E_TokenKind_Identifier &&
+           !str8_match(token_string, str8_lit("."), 0))
+        {
+          string_can_be_evalled = 0;
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+      if(!string_can_be_evalled)
       {
         item_expr = push_str8f(scratch.arena, "`%S`", item_string);
       }
diff --git a/src/raddbg/raddbg_views.c b/src/raddbg/raddbg_views.c
index f6488046..b773d990 100644
--- a/src/raddbg/raddbg_views.c
+++ b/src/raddbg/raddbg_views.c
@@ -1716,8 +1716,11 @@ rd_info_from_watch_row_cell(Arena *arena, EV_Row *row, EV_StringFlags string_fla
             expr_string = cell->eval.string;
             
             // rjf: try to form a simpler expression string out of the expression tree itself, *if* this
-            // is not an editable expression, and if this evaluation was successful
-            if(!(block_type->flags & E_TypeFlag_EditableChildren) && cell->eval.msgs.max_kind == E_MsgKind_Null)
+            // is not an editable expression, and if this evaluation was successful, and if this evaluation
+            // has a parent
+            if(!e_key_match(cell->eval.parent_key, e_key_zero()) &&
+               !(block_type->flags & E_TypeFlag_EditableChildren) &&
+               cell->eval.msgs.max_kind == E_MsgKind_Null)
             {
               // rjf: first, locate a notable expression - we special-case things like member accesses
               // or array indices, so we should grab those if possible
@@ -1740,7 +1743,7 @@ rd_info_from_watch_row_cell(Arena *arena, EV_Row *row, EV_StringFlags string_fla
                 }
               }
               
-              // rjf: generate expression string based on our notable expression
+              // rjf: generate expression extension string based on our notable expression
               switch(notable_expr->kind)
               {
                 // rjf: default case -> just take whatever string was directly passed via the evaluation