diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathMacro.cpp b/src/mathed/InsetMathMacro.cpp
index 1164abf06f..5e72eecdc2 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathMacro.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathMacro.cpp
@@ -1082,15 +1082,6 @@ void InsetMathMacro::write(WriteStream & os) const
 	// we should be ok to continue even if this fails.
 	LATTEST(d->macro_);
 
-	// We may already be in the argument of a macro
-	bool const inside_macro = os.insideMacro();
-	os.insideMacro(true);
-
-	// Enclose in braces to avoid latex errors with xargs if we have
-	// optional arguments and are in the optional argument of a macro
-	if (d->optionals_ && inside_macro)
-		os << '{';
-
 	// Always protect macros in a fragile environment
 	if (os.fragile())
 		os << "\\protect";
@@ -1113,14 +1104,24 @@ void InsetMathMacro::write(WriteStream & os) const
 		// For correctly parsing it when a document is reloaded, we
 		// need to enclose an optional argument in braces if it starts
 		// with a script inset with empty nucleus or ends with a
-		// delimiter-size-modifier macro (see #10497 and #11346)
+		// delimiter-size-modifier macro (see #10497 and #11346).
+		// We also need to do that when the optional argument
+		// contains macros with optionals.
 		bool braced = false;
 		size_type last = cell(i).size() - 1;
-		if (cell(i).size() && cell(i)[last].nucleus()->asUnknownInset()) {
-			latexkeys const * l = in_word_set(cell(i)[last].nucleus()->name());
+		if (cell(i).size() && cell(i)[last]->asUnknownInset()) {
+			latexkeys const * l = in_word_set(cell(i)[last]->name());
 			braced = (l && l->inset == "big");
-		} else if (cell(i).size() && cell(i)[0].nucleus()->asScriptInset()) {
-			braced = cell(i)[0].nucleus()->asScriptInset()->nuc().empty();
+		} else if (cell(i).size() && cell(i)[0]->asScriptInset()) {
+			braced = cell(i)[0]->asScriptInset()->nuc().empty();
+		} else {
+			for (size_type j = 0; j < cell(i).size(); ++j) {
+				InsetMathMacro const * ma = cell(i)[j]->asMacro();
+				if (ma && ma->optionals()) {
+					braced = true;
+					break;
+				}
+			}
 		}
 		if (braced)
 			os << "[{" << cell(i) << "}]";
@@ -1144,13 +1145,9 @@ void InsetMathMacro::write(WriteStream & os) const
 		first = false;
 	}
 
-	// Close the opened brace or add space if there was no argument
-	if (d->optionals_ && inside_macro)
-		os << '}';
-	else if (first)
+	// add space if there was no argument
+	if (first)
 		os.pendingSpace(true);
-
-	os.insideMacro(inside_macro);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp b/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp
index b2d01cfb68..acb7ee76a8 100644
--- a/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp
@@ -128,10 +128,10 @@ WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, docstring const & s)
 WriteStream::WriteStream(otexrowstream & os, bool fragile, bool latex,
 						 OutputType output, Encoding const * encoding)
 	: os_(os), fragile_(fragile), firstitem_(false), latex_(latex),
-	  output_(output), insidemacro_(false), pendingspace_(false),
-	  pendingbrace_(false), textmode_(false), locked_(0), ascii_(0),
-	  canbreakline_(true), mathsout_(false), ulemcmd_(NONE), line_(0),
-	  encoding_(encoding), row_entry_(TexRow::row_none)
+	  output_(output), pendingspace_(false), pendingbrace_(false),
+	  textmode_(false), locked_(0), ascii_(0), canbreakline_(true),
+	  mathsout_(false), ulemcmd_(NONE), line_(0), encoding_(encoding),
+	  row_entry_(TexRow::row_none)
 {}
 
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/MathStream.h b/src/mathed/MathStream.h
index 19da27640a..b7e79434af 100644
--- a/src/mathed/MathStream.h
+++ b/src/mathed/MathStream.h
@@ -81,10 +81,6 @@ public:
 	void ulemCmd(UlemCmdType ulemcmd) { ulemcmd_ = ulemcmd; }
 	/// tell which ulem command type we are inside
 	UlemCmdType ulemCmd() const { return ulemcmd_; }
-	/// record whether we are in the argument of a math macro
-	void insideMacro(bool insidemacro) { insidemacro_ = insidemacro; }
-	/// tell whether we are in the argument of a math macro
-	bool insideMacro() const { return insidemacro_; }
 	/// writes space if next thing is isalpha()
 	void pendingSpace(bool how);
 	/// writes space if next thing is isalpha()
@@ -124,8 +120,6 @@ private:
 	int latex_;
 	/// output type (default, source preview, instant preview)?
 	OutputType output_;
-	/// are we in the argument of a math macro?
-	bool insidemacro_;
 	/// do we have a space pending?
 	bool pendingspace_;
 	/// do we have a brace pending?
diff --git a/status.23x b/status.23x
index 91ca6df1de..964a5397a5 100644
--- a/status.23x
+++ b/status.23x
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ Avoid using text mode for unicode symbols representable in math mode (bug 9616).
 
 - Avoid adding spaces when parsing an array in a macro template (bug 10499).
 
+- Avoid superfluous braces in the optional argument of a macro (bug 11552).
+
 
 * USER INTERFACE