diff --git a/spcd/bootstrap.sh b/spcd/bootstrap.sh
index 7ad7504..903eafd 100644
--- a/spcd/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/spcd/bootstrap.sh
@@ -202,12 +202,10 @@ _SPCD_RULE_RIGHT="╴"
 # │ internals │ step │
 # ╰───────────┴──────╯
 
-_SPCD_STEP_LEVEL=1
-
 _spcd_step_wipe() {
     unset \
-        "__SPCD_STEP_${_SPCD_STEP_LEVEL}_INDEX" \
-        "__SPCD_STEP_${_SPCD_STEP_LEVEL}_LABEL"
+        "__SPCD_STEP_${__SPCD_STEP_LEVEL}_INDEX" \
+        "__SPCD_STEP_${__SPCD_STEP_LEVEL}_LABEL"
 }
 
 # ╭───────────╮
@@ -376,7 +374,8 @@ spcd_split() {
 
 spcd_step() {
     if [ -n "${1}" ]; then
-        spcd_step__prefix="__SPCD_STEP_${_SPCD_STEP_LEVEL}"
+        [ -n "${__SPCD_STEP_LEVEL}" ] || __SPCD_STEP_LEVEL=1
+        spcd_step__prefix="__SPCD_STEP_${__SPCD_STEP_LEVEL}"
         spcd_step__index="${spcd_step__prefix}_INDEX"
         eval "${spcd_step__index}=\$((${spcd_step__index} + 1))"
         eval "${spcd_step__prefix}_LABEL=\"${1}\""
@@ -386,13 +385,13 @@ spcd_step() {
 
 spcd_step_in() {
     [ -n "${1}" ] && spcd_step "${1}"
-    _SPCD_STEP_LEVEL=$((_SPCD_STEP_LEVEL + 1))
+    __SPCD_STEP_LEVEL=$((__SPCD_STEP_LEVEL + 1))
     _spcd_step_wipe
 }
 
 spcd_step_out() {
     _spcd_step_wipe
-    _SPCD_STEP_LEVEL=$((_SPCD_STEP_LEVEL - 1))
+    __SPCD_STEP_LEVEL=$((__SPCD_STEP_LEVEL - 1))
 }
 
 # ╭───────╮