diff --git a/extensions/indexes/range/src/main/java/org/exist/xquery/modules/range/RangeQueryRewriter.java b/extensions/indexes/range/src/main/java/org/exist/xquery/modules/range/RangeQueryRewriter.java
index b9b050690e4..848cb04da55 100644
--- a/extensions/indexes/range/src/main/java/org/exist/xquery/modules/range/RangeQueryRewriter.java
+++ b/extensions/indexes/range/src/main/java/org/exist/xquery/modules/range/RangeQueryRewriter.java
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ public Pragma rewriteLocationStep(final LocationStep locationStep) throws XPathE
                     }
 
                     Expression innerExpr = pred.getExpression(0);
+                    if (innerExpr instanceof InternalFunctionCall && ((InternalFunctionCall) innerExpr).getFunction() instanceof  Lookup) {
+                        // innerExpr was already optimized
+                        continue;
+                    }
+
                     List<LocationStep> steps = getStepsToOptimize(innerExpr);
                     if (steps == null || steps.isEmpty()) {
                         // no optimizable steps found