diff --git a/cmd/tools/vrepl.v b/cmd/tools/vrepl.v
index 9f56bc40c3..204c013957 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vrepl.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vrepl.v
@@ -423,7 +423,8 @@ fn run_repl(workdir string, vrepl_prefix string) int {
 				' as ',
 			]
 			mut is_statement := false
-			if filter_line.count('=') % 2 == 1 {
+			if filter_line.count('=') % 2 == 1
+				&& (filter_line.count('!=') + filter_line.count('>=') + filter_line.count('<=')) == 0 {
 				is_statement = true
 			} else {
 				for pattern in possible_statement_patterns {