diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 14ddad01..10e8cc19 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-- dzsave output dir names often don't have extensions, so stuff in brackets at
-  the end of the filename can get picked up
-
-  perhaps remove using () for options?
-
 - try vips_shrink() in two passes: first, sum horizontal strips, second sum
   vertical
 
diff --git a/libvips/iofuncs/util.c b/libvips/iofuncs/util.c
index 69686d33..75c75b82 100644
--- a/libvips/iofuncs/util.c
+++ b/libvips/iofuncs/util.c
@@ -1165,18 +1165,12 @@ vips__token_get( const char *p, VipsToken *token, char *string, int size )
 		return( NULL );
 
 	switch( (ch = p[0]) ) {
-	case '{':
 	case '[':
-	case '(':
-	case '<':
 		*token = VIPS_TOKEN_LEFT;
 		p += 1;
 		break;
 
-	case ')':
 	case ']':
-	case '}':
-	case '>':
 		*token = VIPS_TOKEN_RIGHT;
 		p += 1;
 		break;