diff --git a/private/no-order.rkt b/private/no-order.rkt
index 838bc42..a17bf80 100644
--- a/private/no-order.rkt
+++ b/private/no-order.rkt
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
          try-order-point>
          ~lift-rest
          ~omitable-lifted-rest ;; Private
-         (expander-out eh-mixin))
+         (expander-out eh-mixin)) ;; Private
 
 (define-expander-type eh-mixin)
 
@@ -124,8 +124,10 @@
       (define (increment-counter!)
         (begin0 counter
                 (set! counter (add1 counter))))
-      ;; pre-acc and post-acc gather some a-patterns which will be added after
+      ;; first, pre and post-acc gather a-patterns which will be added after
       ;; the (~seq (~or ) ...), before and after the ~! cut respectively
+      (define first-acc '())
+      (define (add-to-first! v) (set! first-acc (cons v first-acc)))
       (define pre-acc '())
       (define (add-to-pre! v) (set! pre-acc (cons v pre-acc)))
       (define post-acc '())
@@ -142,7 +144,8 @@
                                       succeeded-clause)
                                 lifted-rest)))
       ;; expand EH alternatives:
-      (parameterize ([eh-pre-accumulate add-to-post!]
+      (parameterize ([eh-first-accumulate add-to-first!]
+                     [eh-pre-accumulate add-to-pre!]
                      [eh-post-group add-to-post-groups!]
                      [eh-post-accumulate add-to-post!]
                      [clause-counter increment-counter!]
@@ -221,7 +224,7 @@
                                     1)
                           (string-append "more than one of the lifted rest"
                                          " patterns matched")}))))
-        ((λ (x) #;(pretty-write (syntax->datum x)) x)
+        ((λ (x) #;(pretty-write (syntax->datum #`(syntax-parser [#,x 'ok]))) x)
          #`(~delimit-cut
             (~and #,(fix-disappeared-uses)
                   whole-clause-pat
@@ -237,6 +240,7 @@
                                 (syntax-property xi
                                                  parse-seq-order-sym-id
                                                  i))}
+                  #,@(reverse first-acc)
                   #,@(reverse pre-acc)
                   #,@caught-omitable-lifted-rest
                   #,@rest-handlers
diff --git a/private/parameters.rkt b/private/parameters.rkt
index 31ae5f8..e035f66 100644
--- a/private/parameters.rkt
+++ b/private/parameters.rkt
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 
 (require (for-syntax racket/base))
 
-(provide (for-syntax eh-pre-accumulate
+(provide (for-syntax eh-first-accumulate
+                     eh-first-accumulate!
+                     eh-pre-accumulate
                      eh-pre-accumulate!
                      eh-post-accumulate
                      eh-post-accumulate!
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@
                                            " used outside of ~seq-no-order")))
       (apply (parameter-name) args))))
 
+(define-dynamic-accumulator-parameter eh-first-accumulate eh-first-accumulate!)
 (define-dynamic-accumulator-parameter eh-pre-accumulate eh-pre-accumulate!)
 (define-dynamic-accumulator-parameter eh-post-group eh-post-group!)
 (define-dynamic-accumulator-parameter eh-post-accumulate eh-post-accumulate!)
diff --git a/private/pre.rkt b/private/pre.rkt
index 69c20c2..c40237b 100644
--- a/private/pre.rkt
+++ b/private/pre.rkt
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 
 (define-eh-mixin-expander ~pre-fail pre-fail)
 
+;; TODO: fixme: should happen before the other pre operations
 (define-eh-mixin-expander ~named-seq
   (λ (stx)
     (syntax-case stx ()
@@ -51,22 +52,27 @@
        (let ()
          (define/with-syntax clause-present (get-new-clause!))
          (define/with-syntax clause (get-new-clause!))
-         (eh-pre-accumulate! '~named-seq
-                             #'(~bind [(id 1) (if (attribute clause-present)
-                                                  (attribute clause)
-                                                  (list))]))
+         (eh-first-accumulate! '~named-seq
+                               #'(~bind [(id 1) (if (attribute clause-present)
+                                                    (attribute clause)
+                                                    (list))]))
          #'(~and (~bind [clause-present #t])
                  (~seq clause (... ...))
                  (~seq . pats)))])))
 
+
+;; TODO: fixme: should happen before the other pre operations
 (define-eh-mixin-expander ~maybe/empty
   (λ (stx)
     (syntax-case stx ()
-      [(_ . pats)
+      [(_ pat …)
        (let ()
          (define/with-syntax clause-present (get-new-clause!))
-         (eh-pre-accumulate! '~maybe/empty
-                             #'(~parse {~no-order {~seq . pats}}
-                                       #'(clause (... ...))))
+         (define/with-syntax (expanded-pat …)
+           ;; let the ~post, ~global etc. within pat … be recognized
+           (expand-all-eh-mixin-expanders #'(pat …)))
+         (eh-first-accumulate! '~maybe/empty
+                               #'(~parse (expanded-pat …)
+                                         #'(clause (... ...))))
          #'{~optional {~and {~bind [clause-present #t]}
                             {~seq clause (... ...)}}})])))
\ No newline at end of file