diff --git a/src/parser/parse/parser.rs b/src/parser/parse/parser.rs
index 238a144d5a..f230c36c22 100644
--- a/src/parser/parse/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser/parse/parser.rs
@@ -552,11 +552,11 @@ pub fn node(input: NomSpan) -> IResult<NomSpan, TokenNode> {
 pub fn pipeline(input: NomSpan) -> IResult<NomSpan, TokenNode> {
     trace_step(input, "pipeline", |input| {
         let start = input.offset;
-        let (input, head) = opt(tuple((raw_call, opt(space1), opt(tag("|")))))(input)?;
+        let (input, head) = opt(tuple((opt(space1), raw_call, opt(space1))))(input)?;
         let (input, items) = trace_step(
             input,
             "many0",
-            many0(tuple((opt(space1), raw_call, opt(space1), opt(tag("|"))))),
+            many0(tuple((tag("|"), opt(space1), raw_call, opt(space1)))),
         )?;
 
         let (input, tail) = opt(space1)(input)?;
@@ -582,28 +582,37 @@ pub fn pipeline(input: NomSpan) -> IResult<NomSpan, TokenNode> {
 }
 
 fn make_call_list(
-    head: Option<(Tagged<CallNode>, Option<NomSpan>, Option<NomSpan>)>,
-    items: Vec<(
+    head: Option<(
         Option<NomSpan>,
         Tagged<CallNode>,
+        Option<NomSpan>
+    )>,
+    items: Vec<(
+        NomSpan,
         Option<NomSpan>,
+        Tagged<CallNode>,
         Option<NomSpan>,
     )>,
 ) -> Vec<PipelineElement> {
     let mut out = vec![];
 
     if let Some(head) = head {
-        let el = PipelineElement::new(None, head.0, head.1.map(Span::from), head.2.map(Span::from));
+        let el = PipelineElement::new(
+            None,
+            head.0.map(Span::from),
+            head.1,
+            head.2.map(Span::from));
+
         out.push(el);
     }
 
-    for (ws1, call, ws2, pipe) in items {
+    for (pipe, ws1, call, ws2) in items {
         let el = PipelineElement::new(
+            Some(pipe).map(Span::from),
             ws1.map(Span::from),
             call,
-            ws2.map(Span::from),
-            pipe.map(Span::from),
-        );
+            ws2.map(Span::from));
+
         out.push(el);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/parser/parse/pipeline.rs b/src/parser/parse/pipeline.rs
index 20365bfbc7..75155d143a 100644
--- a/src/parser/parse/pipeline.rs
+++ b/src/parser/parse/pipeline.rs
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ pub struct Pipeline {
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Ord, PartialOrd, Getters, new)]
 pub struct PipelineElement {
+    pub pipe: Option<Span>,
     pub pre_ws: Option<Span>,
     #[get = "pub(crate)"]
     call: Tagged<CallNode>,
     pub post_ws: Option<Span>,
-    pub post_pipe: Option<Span>,
 }
diff --git a/src/parser/parse/token_tree_builder.rs b/src/parser/parse/token_tree_builder.rs
index ad4eebdc8a..9dd1ebc16c 100644
--- a/src/parser/parse/token_tree_builder.rs
+++ b/src/parser/parse/token_tree_builder.rs
@@ -47,32 +47,31 @@ impl TokenTreeBuilder {
                 .next()
                 .expect("A pipeline must contain at least one element");
 
+            let pipe = None;
             let pre_span = pre.map(|pre| b.consume(&pre));
             let call = call(b);
             let post_span = post.map(|post| b.consume(&post));
-            let pipe = input.peek().map(|_| Span::from(b.consume("|")));
+
             out.push(PipelineElement::new(
+                pipe,
                 pre_span.map(Span::from),
                 call,
-                post_span.map(Span::from),
-                pipe,
-            ));
+                post_span.map(Span::from)));
 
             loop {
                 match input.next() {
                     None => break,
                     Some((pre, call, post)) => {
+                        let pipe = Some(Span::from(b.consume("|")));
                         let pre_span = pre.map(|pre| b.consume(&pre));
                         let call = call(b);
                         let post_span = post.map(|post| b.consume(&post));
 
-                        let pipe = input.peek().map(|_| Span::from(b.consume("|")));
-
                         out.push(PipelineElement::new(
+                            pipe,
                             pre_span.map(Span::from),
                             call,
                             post_span.map(Span::from),
-                            pipe,
                         ));
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/src/shell/helper.rs b/src/shell/helper.rs
index 9feffcb4ce..8e21c50ec8 100644
--- a/src/shell/helper.rs
+++ b/src/shell/helper.rs
@@ -147,6 +147,10 @@ fn paint_token_node(token_node: &TokenNode, line: &str) -> String {
 fn paint_pipeline_element(pipeline_element: &PipelineElement, line: &str) -> String {
     let mut styled = String::new();
 
+    if let Some(_) = pipeline_element.pipe {
+        styled.push_str(&Color::Purple.paint("|"));
+    }
+
     if let Some(ws) = pipeline_element.pre_ws {
         styled.push_str(&Color::White.normal().paint(ws.slice(line)));
     }
@@ -168,10 +172,6 @@ fn paint_pipeline_element(pipeline_element: &PipelineElement, line: &str) -> Str
         styled.push_str(&Color::White.normal().paint(ws.slice(line)));
     }
 
-    if let Some(_) = pipeline_element.post_pipe {
-        styled.push_str(&Color::Purple.paint("|"));
-    }
-
     styled.to_string()
 }