diff --git a/bex/gbnf.py b/bex/gbnf.py
index cc920b9..546f64a 100644
--- a/bex/gbnf.py
+++ b/bex/gbnf.py
@@ -132,11 +132,17 @@ class _Empty(_Node):
 
 
 class _Parser:
-    """Recursive descent parser for SOREs."""
+    """Recursive descent parser for SOREs.
+
+    Handles the overloaded + operator:
+      - (a+b+c)  → disjunction (inside parens)
+      - r+        → one-or-more repetition (outside parens)
+    """
 
     def __init__(self, tokens):
         self.tokens = tokens
         self.pos = 0
+        self.paren_depth = 0
 
     def peek(self):
         if self.pos < len(self.tokens):
@@ -158,36 +164,67 @@ class _Parser:
         return node
 
     def parse_alternation(self):
-        """Parse: concat ('|' concat)*"""
+        """Parse: concat (('|' | '+') concat)*  — + is alternation inside parens"""
         parts = [self.parse_concat()]
-        while self.peek()[0] == 'PIPE':
-            self.consume('PIPE')
+        while self.peek()[0] in ('PIPE', 'PLUS'):
+            if self.peek()[0] == 'PLUS' and self.paren_depth == 0:
+                break  # + outside parens is repetition, not alternation
+            self.consume()
             parts.append(self.parse_concat())
         if len(parts) == 1:
             return parts[0]
         return _Alt(parts)
 
     def parse_concat(self):
-        """Parse: repetition ('.' repetition)*  — top-level concat"""
+        """Parse: repetition (('.' | LPAREN) repetition)*  — implicit concat"""
         parts = [self.parse_repetition()]
-        while self.peek()[0] == 'DOT':
-            self.consume('DOT')
+        while self.peek()[0] in ('DOT', 'LPAREN'):
+            if self.peek()[0] == 'DOT':
+                self.consume('DOT')
+            # LPAREN = implicit concat (no separator)
             parts.append(self.parse_repetition())
         if len(parts) == 1:
             return parts[0]
         return _Concat(parts)
 
     def parse_repetition(self):
-        """Parse: atom ('+' | '?' | '*')?"""
+        """Parse: atom ('+' | '?' | '*')?
+
+        Inside parens, + is alternation (consumed by parse_alternation),
+        not repetition. Outside parens, always consume + as repetition.
+        Handles compound: +?, +*, ?+, *+ etc.
+        """
         node = self.parse_atom()
         if self.peek()[0] in ('PLUS', 'QUESTION', 'STAR'):
+            if self.peek()[0] == 'PLUS' and self.paren_depth > 0:
+                return node  # + inside parens is alternation, handled by caller
             op = self.consume()
             if op[0] == 'PLUS':
-                return _Plus(node)
+                node = _Plus(node)
             elif op[0] == 'QUESTION':
-                return _Optional(node)
+                node = _Optional(node)
             elif op[0] == 'STAR':
-                return _Star(node)
+                node = _Star(node)
+            # Handle compound repetition: +?, +*, ?+ etc.
+            # Normalize: Optional(Plus(x)) → Star(x)
+            if self.peek()[0] in ('PLUS', 'QUESTION', 'STAR'):
+                if self.peek()[0] == 'PLUS' and self.paren_depth > 0:
+                    return node
+                op2 = self.consume()
+                if op2[0] == 'QUESTION':
+                    if isinstance(node, _Plus):
+                        node = _Star(node.child)
+                    else:
+                        node = _Optional(node)
+                elif op2[0] == 'STAR':
+                    node = _Star(node.child if isinstance(node, (_Plus, _Optional)) else node)
+                elif op2[0] == 'PLUS':
+                    if isinstance(node, _Optional):
+                        node = _Plus(node.child)
+                    elif isinstance(node, (_Plus, _Star)):
+                        node = node  # ++ is idempotent
+                    else:
+                        node = _Plus(node)
         return node
 
     def parse_atom(self):
@@ -206,8 +243,10 @@ class _Parser:
             return _Empty()
         if tok[0] == 'LPAREN':
             self.consume('LPAREN')
+            self.paren_depth += 1
             node = self.parse_alternation()
             self.consume('RPAREN')
+            self.paren_depth -= 1
             return node
         raise ValueError(f'Unexpected token: {tok}')
 
@@ -250,6 +289,8 @@ def _node_to_gbnf(node, rule_counter):
         all_new_rules = []
         for child in node.parts:
             frag, rule_counter, new_rules = _node_to_gbnf(child, rule_counter)
+            if isinstance(child, _Alt):
+                frag = f'({frag})'
             parts.append(frag)
             all_new_rules.extend(new_rules)
         return ' '.join(p for p in parts if p), rule_counter, all_new_rules
diff --git a/tests/test_gbnf.py b/tests/test_gbnf.py
index 6c6af1d..5c50d7d 100644
--- a/tests/test_gbnf.py
+++ b/tests/test_gbnf.py
@@ -56,3 +56,53 @@ class TestToGBNFWithRules:
     def test_nested(self):
         result = to_gbnf_with_rules('assertEquals.(of.(assertFailsWith)?)+')
         assert result == 'root ::= "assertEquals" ("of" "assertFailsWith"?)+'
+
+
+class TestGBNFDisjunction:
+    """Test + as disjunction inside parentheses (SORE convention)."""
+
+    def test_simple_disjunction(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('(a+b)') == 'root ::= "a" | "b"'
+
+    def test_disjunction_with_rep(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('(a+b)+') == 'root ::= ("a" | "b")+'
+
+    def test_disjunction_optional(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('(a+b)?') == 'root ::= ("a" | "b")?'
+
+    def test_disjunction_star(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('(a+b)*') == 'root ::= ("a" | "b")*'
+
+    def test_disjunction_in_concat(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('warn+.(BAD_REQUEST+CONFLICT)+') == \
+            'root ::= "warn"+ ("BAD_REQUEST" | "CONFLICT")+'
+
+    def test_four_way_disjunction(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('(assertEquals+authorize+coEvery+coVerify)+') == \
+            'root ::= ("assertEquals" | "authorize" | "coEvery" | "coVerify")+'
+
+    def test_disjunction_parenthesized_in_concat(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('a+(b+c)') == 'root ::= "a"+ ("b" | "c")'
+
+    def test_disjunction_rep_then_disjunction(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('(a+b)+.(c+d)') == 'root ::= ("a" | "b")+ ("c" | "d")'
+
+
+class TestGBNFCompoundRepetition:
+    """Test compound repetition operators: +?, +*, etc."""
+
+    def test_plus_question(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('(a)+?') == 'root ::= "a"*'
+
+    def test_plus_star(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('(a)+*') == 'root ::= "a"*'
+
+    def test_question_plus(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('(a)?+') == 'root ::= "a"+'
+
+    def test_flask_pattern(self):
+        result = to_gbnf('return.(key+self)+?.(Markup+UUID)+?.to_json+?')
+        assert result == 'root ::= "return" ("key" | "self")* ("Markup" | "UUID")* "to_json"*'
+
+    def test_double_plus(self):
+        assert to_gbnf('a++.b') == 'root ::= "a"+ "b"'