diff --git a/xbout/load.py b/xbout/load.py
index 5bd83dd3..acc55872 100644
--- a/xbout/load.py
+++ b/xbout/load.py
@@ -789,12 +789,14 @@ def _expand_wildcards(path):
     # Find first parent directory which does not contain a wildcard
     base_dir = path
     while True:
-        base_dir = str(base_dir.parent)
-        if "*" in base_dir:
+        _base_dir = str(base_dir.parent)
+        base_dir = Path(_base_dir)
+        if "*" in _base_dir:
             continue
-        if "{" in base_dir:
+        if "{" in _base_dir:
+            continue
+        if "[" in _base_dir:
             continue
-        base_dir = Path(base_dir)
         break
     # Find path relative to parent
     search_pattern = str(path.relative_to(base_dir))