diff --git a/src/cmd/gofmt/rewrite.go b/src/cmd/gofmt/rewrite.go
index 550492bf29a..79b7858a5af 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gofmt/rewrite.go
+++ b/src/cmd/gofmt/rewrite.go
@@ -66,10 +66,10 @@ func rewriteFile(pattern, replace ast.Expr, p *ast.File) *ast.File {
 		if !val.IsValid() {
 			return reflect.Value{}
 		}
+		val = apply(rewriteVal, val)
 		for k := range m {
 			delete(m, k)
 		}
-		val = apply(rewriteVal, val)
 		if match(m, pat, val) {
 			val = subst(m, repl, reflect.ValueOf(val.Interface().(ast.Node).Pos()))
 		}
diff --git a/src/cmd/gofmt/testdata/rewrite9.golden b/src/cmd/gofmt/testdata/rewrite9.golden
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fffbd3d05ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cmd/gofmt/testdata/rewrite9.golden
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+//gofmt -r=a&&b!=2->a
+
+// Copyright 2017 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+// Issue 18987.
+
+package p
+
+const _ = x != 1
diff --git a/src/cmd/gofmt/testdata/rewrite9.input b/src/cmd/gofmt/testdata/rewrite9.input
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..106ad94bc52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cmd/gofmt/testdata/rewrite9.input
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+//gofmt -r=a&&b!=2->a
+
+// Copyright 2017 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+// Issue 18987.
+
+package p
+
+const _ = x != 1 && x != 2