This is a bug I fixed in 10.4.0. Sorry for the inconvenience! To work around it in earlier versions, evaluate the following block of code: InactiveDump`assembleInactiveSumProduct[{args_, disp_, interp_, char_, tag_, tooltip_, fmt_}] := TemplateBox[args, tag, DisplayFunction -> Function[disp], InterpretationFunction -> Function[interp], SyntaxForm -> char] The `SyntaxForm` which specifies precedence for parenthesization was missing before 10.4.0.