diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file Makefile.in regex/irssi-1.0.2/Makefile.in
--- Makefile.in	2017-03-10 17:43:21.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/Makefile.in	2017-03-11 21:57:27.000000000 +0100
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ am__DIST_COMMON = $(srcdir)/Makefile.in
 	$(top_srcdir)/src/perl/textui/Makefile.PL.in \
 	$(top_srcdir)/src/perl/ui/Makefile.PL.in AUTHORS COPYING \
 	ChangeLog INSTALL NEWS TODO build-aux/compile \
-	build-aux/config.guess build-aux/config.sub \
+	build-aux/config.guess build-aux/config.sub build-aux/depcomp \
 	build-aux/install-sh build-aux/ltmain.sh build-aux/missing
 DISTFILES = $(DIST_COMMON) $(DIST_SOURCES) $(TEXINFOS) $(EXTRA_DIST)
 distdir = $(PACKAGE)-$(VERSION)
diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file configure regex/irssi-1.0.2/configure
--- configure	2017-03-10 17:43:20.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/configure	2017-03-11 21:57:27.000000000 +0100
@@ -638,6 +638,8 @@ COMMON_NOUI_LIBS
 irc_MODULES
 CHAT_MODULES
 PROG_LIBS
+USE_GREGEX_FALSE
+USE_GREGEX_TRUE
 HAVE_PERL_FALSE
 HAVE_PERL_TRUE
 BUILD_IRSSIPROXY_FALSE
@@ -13834,6 +13836,14 @@ else
   HAVE_PERL_FALSE=
 fi
 
+ if test "x$want_gregex" = "xyes"; then
+  USE_GREGEX_TRUE=
+  USE_GREGEX_FALSE='#'
+else
+  USE_GREGEX_TRUE='#'
+  USE_GREGEX_FALSE=
+fi
+
 
 # move LIBS to PROG_LIBS so they're not tried to be used when linking eg. perl libraries
 PROG_LIBS=$LIBS
@@ -14086,6 +14096,10 @@ if test -z "${HAVE_PERL_TRUE}" && test -
   as_fn_error $? "conditional \"HAVE_PERL\" was never defined.
 Usually this means the macro was only invoked conditionally." "$LINENO" 5
 fi
+if test -z "${USE_GREGEX_TRUE}" && test -z "${USE_GREGEX_FALSE}"; then
+  as_fn_error $? "conditional \"USE_GREGEX\" was never defined.
+Usually this means the macro was only invoked conditionally." "$LINENO" 5
+fi
 
 : "${CONFIG_STATUS=./config.status}"
 ac_write_fail=0
diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file configure.ac regex/irssi-1.0.2/configure.ac
--- configure.ac	2017-03-10 17:31:03.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/configure.ac	2017-03-11 21:57:00.000000000 +0100
@@ -458,6 +458,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_TEXTUI, test "$want
 AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_IRSSIBOT, test "$want_irssibot" = "yes")
 AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_IRSSIPROXY, test "$want_irssiproxy" = "yes")
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_PERL, test "$want_perl" != "no")
+AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_GREGEX, test "x$want_gregex" = "xyes")
 
 # move LIBS to PROG_LIBS so they're not tried to be used when linking eg. perl libraries
 PROG_LIBS=$LIBS
diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file src/core/Makefile.am regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/Makefile.am
--- src/core/Makefile.am	2017-03-04 21:30:38.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/Makefile.am	2017-03-11 21:57:00.000000000 +0100
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = \
 	-DSYSCONFDIR=\""$(sysconfdir)"\" \
 	-DMODULEDIR=\""$(libdir)/irssi/modules"\"
 
+if USE_GREGEX
+regex_impl=iregex-gregex.c
+else
+regex_impl=iregex-regexh.c
+endif
+
 libcore_a_SOURCES = \
 	args.c \
 	channels.c \
@@ -45,6 +51,7 @@ libcore_a_SOURCES = \
 	signals.c \
 	special-vars.c \
 	utf8.c \
+	$(regex_impl) \
 	wcwidth.c \
 	tls.c \
 	write-buffer.c
@@ -97,6 +104,7 @@ pkginc_core_HEADERS = \
 	signals.h \
 	special-vars.h \
 	utf8.h \
+	iregex.h \
 	window-item-def.h \
 	tls.h \
 	write-buffer.h \
diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file src/core/Makefile.in regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/Makefile.in
--- src/core/Makefile.in	2017-03-10 17:43:21.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/Makefile.in	2017-03-11 21:57:27.000000000 +0100
@@ -111,6 +111,17 @@ am__v_AR_0 = @echo "  AR      " $@;
 am__v_AR_1 = 
 libcore_a_AR = $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
 libcore_a_LIBADD =
+am__libcore_a_SOURCES_DIST = args.c channels.c channels-setup.c \
+	commands.c chat-commands.c chat-protocols.c chatnets.c core.c \
+	expandos.c ignore.c levels.c line-split.c log.c log-away.c \
+	masks.c misc.c modules.c modules-load.c net-disconnect.c \
+	net-nonblock.c net-sendbuffer.c network.c network-openssl.c \
+	nicklist.c nickmatch-cache.c pidwait.c queries.c rawlog.c \
+	recode.c servers.c servers-reconnect.c servers-setup.c \
+	session.c settings.c signals.c special-vars.c utf8.c \
+	iregex-regexh.c iregex-gregex.c wcwidth.c tls.c write-buffer.c
+@USE_GREGEX_FALSE@am__objects_1 = iregex-regexh.$(OBJEXT)
+@USE_GREGEX_TRUE@am__objects_1 = iregex-gregex.$(OBJEXT)
 am_libcore_a_OBJECTS = args.$(OBJEXT) channels.$(OBJEXT) \
 	channels-setup.$(OBJEXT) commands.$(OBJEXT) \
 	chat-commands.$(OBJEXT) chat-protocols.$(OBJEXT) \
@@ -125,8 +136,8 @@ am_libcore_a_OBJECTS = args.$(OBJEXT) ch
 	rawlog.$(OBJEXT) recode.$(OBJEXT) servers.$(OBJEXT) \
 	servers-reconnect.$(OBJEXT) servers-setup.$(OBJEXT) \
 	session.$(OBJEXT) settings.$(OBJEXT) signals.$(OBJEXT) \
-	special-vars.$(OBJEXT) utf8.$(OBJEXT) wcwidth.$(OBJEXT) \
-	tls.$(OBJEXT) write-buffer.$(OBJEXT)
+	special-vars.$(OBJEXT) utf8.$(OBJEXT) $(am__objects_1) \
+	wcwidth.$(OBJEXT) tls.$(OBJEXT) write-buffer.$(OBJEXT)
 libcore_a_OBJECTS = $(am_libcore_a_OBJECTS)
 AM_V_P = $(am__v_P_@AM_V@)
 am__v_P_ = $(am__v_P_@AM_DEFAULT_V@)
@@ -167,7 +178,7 @@ am__v_CCLD_ = $(am__v_CCLD_@AM_DEFAULT_V
 am__v_CCLD_0 = @echo "  CCLD    " $@;
 am__v_CCLD_1 = 
 SOURCES = $(libcore_a_SOURCES)
-DIST_SOURCES = $(libcore_a_SOURCES)
+DIST_SOURCES = $(am__libcore_a_SOURCES_DIST)
 am__can_run_installinfo = \
   case $$AM_UPDATE_INFO_DIR in \
     n|no|NO) false;; \
@@ -378,6 +389,8 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = \
 	-DSYSCONFDIR=\""$(sysconfdir)"\" \
 	-DMODULEDIR=\""$(libdir)/irssi/modules"\"
 
+@USE_GREGEX_FALSE@regex_impl = iregex-regexh.c
+@USE_GREGEX_TRUE@regex_impl = iregex-gregex.c
 libcore_a_SOURCES = \
 	args.c \
 	channels.c \
@@ -416,6 +429,7 @@ libcore_a_SOURCES = \
 	signals.c \
 	special-vars.c \
 	utf8.c \
+	$(regex_impl) \
 	wcwidth.c \
 	tls.c \
 	write-buffer.c
@@ -468,6 +482,7 @@ pkginc_core_HEADERS = \
 	signals.h \
 	special-vars.h \
 	utf8.h \
+	iregex.h \
 	window-item-def.h \
 	tls.h \
 	write-buffer.h \
@@ -531,6 +546,8 @@ distclean-compile:
 @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@./$(DEPDIR)/core.Po@am__quote@
 @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@./$(DEPDIR)/expandos.Po@am__quote@
 @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@./$(DEPDIR)/ignore.Po@am__quote@
+@AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@./$(DEPDIR)/iregex-gregex.Po@am__quote@
+@AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@./$(DEPDIR)/iregex-regexh.Po@am__quote@
 @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@./$(DEPDIR)/levels.Po@am__quote@
 @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@./$(DEPDIR)/line-split.Po@am__quote@
 @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@./$(DEPDIR)/log-away.Po@am__quote@
diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file src/core/ignore.c regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/ignore.c
--- src/core/ignore.c	2017-03-04 21:30:38.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/ignore.c	2017-03-11 21:57:00.000000000 +0100
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "levels.h"
 #include "lib-config/iconfig.h"
 #include "settings.h"
+#include "iregex.h"
 
 #include "masks.h"
 #include "servers.h"
@@ -67,13 +68,8 @@ static int ignore_match_pattern(IGNORE_R
 		return FALSE;
 
 	if (rec->regexp) {
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 		return rec->preg != NULL &&
-			g_regex_match(rec->preg, text, 0, NULL);
-#else
-		return rec->regexp_compiled &&
-			regexec(&rec->preg, text, 0, NULL, 0) == 0;
-#endif
+			i_regex_match(rec->preg, text, 0, NULL, NULL);
 	}
 
 	return rec->fullword ?
@@ -327,41 +323,19 @@ static void ignore_remove_config(IGNORE_
 
 static void ignore_init_rec(IGNORE_REC *rec)
 {
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	if (rec->preg != NULL)
-		g_regex_unref(rec->preg);
+		i_regex_unref(rec->preg);
 
 	if (rec->regexp && rec->pattern != NULL) {
 		GError *re_error = NULL;
 
-		rec->preg = g_regex_new(rec->pattern, G_REGEX_OPTIMIZE | G_REGEX_RAW | G_REGEX_CASELESS, 0, &re_error);
+		rec->preg = i_regex_new(rec->pattern, G_REGEX_OPTIMIZE | G_REGEX_CASELESS, 0, &re_error);
 
 		if (rec->preg == NULL) {
 			g_warning("Failed to compile regexp '%s': %s", rec->pattern, re_error->message);
 			g_error_free(re_error);
 		}
 	}
-#else
-	char *errbuf;
-	int errcode, errbuf_len;
-
-	if (rec->regexp_compiled) regfree(&rec->preg);
-	rec->regexp_compiled = FALSE;
-
-	if (rec->regexp && rec->pattern != NULL) {
-		errcode = regcomp(&rec->preg, rec->pattern,
-				REG_EXTENDED|REG_ICASE|REG_NOSUB);
-		if (errcode != 0) {
-			errbuf_len = regerror(errcode, &rec->preg, 0, 0);
-			errbuf = g_malloc(errbuf_len);
-			regerror(errcode, &rec->preg, errbuf, errbuf_len);
-			g_warning("Failed to compile regexp '%s': %s", rec->pattern, errbuf);
-			g_free(errbuf);
-		} else {
-			rec->regexp_compiled = TRUE;
-		}
-	}
-#endif
 }
 
 void ignore_add_rec(IGNORE_REC *rec)
@@ -381,11 +355,7 @@ static void ignore_destroy(IGNORE_REC *r
 	if (send_signal)
 		signal_emit("ignore destroyed", 1, rec);
 
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
-	if (rec->preg != NULL) g_regex_unref(rec->preg);
-#else
-	if (rec->regexp_compiled) regfree(&rec->preg);
-#endif
+	if (rec->preg != NULL) i_regex_unref(rec->preg);
 	if (rec->channels != NULL) g_strfreev(rec->channels);
 	g_free_not_null(rec->mask);
 	g_free_not_null(rec->servertag);
diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file src/core/ignore.h regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/ignore.h
--- src/core/ignore.h	2017-03-04 21:30:38.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/ignore.h	2017-03-11 21:57:00.000000000 +0100
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef __IGNORE_H
 #define __IGNORE_H
 
-#ifndef USE_GREGEX
-#  include <regex.h>
-#endif
+#include "iregex.h"
 
 typedef struct _IGNORE_REC IGNORE_REC;
 
@@ -20,12 +18,7 @@ struct _IGNORE_REC {
 	unsigned int regexp:1;
 	unsigned int fullword:1;
 	unsigned int replies:1; /* ignore replies to nick in channel */
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
-	GRegex *preg;
-#else
-	unsigned int regexp_compiled:1; /* should always be TRUE, unless regexp is invalid */
-	regex_t preg;
-#endif
+	Regex *preg;
 };
 
 extern GSList *ignores;
diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file src/core/iregex-gregex.c regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/iregex-gregex.c
--- src/core/iregex-gregex.c	1970-01-01 01:00:00.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/iregex-gregex.c	2017-03-11 21:57:00.000000000 +0100
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include "iregex.h"
+
+const gchar *
+make_valid_utf8(const gchar *text, gboolean *free_ret)
+{
+	GString *str;
+	const gchar *ptr;
+	if (g_utf8_validate(text, -1, NULL)) {
+		if (free_ret)
+			*free_ret = FALSE;
+		return text;
+	}
+
+	str = g_string_sized_new(strlen(text) + 12);
+
+	ptr = text;
+	while (*ptr) {
+		gunichar c = g_utf8_get_char_validated(ptr, -1);
+		/* the unicode is invalid */
+		if (c == (gunichar)-1 || c == (gunichar)-2) {
+			/* encode the byte into PUA-A */
+			g_string_append_unichar(str, (gunichar) (0xfff00 | (*ptr & 0xff)));
+			ptr++;
+		} else {
+			g_string_append_unichar(str, c);
+			ptr = g_utf8_next_char(ptr);
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (free_ret)
+		*free_ret = TRUE;
+	return g_string_free(str, FALSE);
+}
+
+Regex *
+i_regex_new (const gchar *pattern,
+             GRegexCompileFlags compile_options,
+             GRegexMatchFlags match_options,
+             GError **error)
+{
+	const gchar *valid_pattern;
+	gboolean free_valid_pattern;
+	Regex *ret = NULL;
+
+	valid_pattern = make_valid_utf8(pattern, &free_valid_pattern);
+	ret = g_regex_new(valid_pattern, compile_options, match_options, error);
+
+	if (free_valid_pattern)
+		g_free_not_null((gchar *)valid_pattern);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+void
+i_regex_unref (Regex *regex)
+{
+	g_regex_unref(regex);
+}
+
+/* if new_string is present, the caller must free new_string.
+   otherwise, g_match_info_get_string must not be used. */
+gboolean
+i_regex_match (const Regex *regex,
+               const gchar *string,
+               GRegexMatchFlags match_options,
+               MatchInfo **match_info,
+               const gchar **new_string)
+{
+	gboolean ret;
+	gboolean free_valid_string;
+	const gchar *valid_string = make_valid_utf8(string, &free_valid_string);
+
+	ret = g_regex_match(regex, valid_string, match_options, match_info);
+	if (free_valid_string) {
+		if (new_string)
+			*new_string = valid_string;
+		else
+			g_free_not_null((gchar *)valid_string);
+	}
+	return ret;
+}
+
+gsize
+strlen_pua_oddly(const char *str)
+{
+	const gchar *ptr;
+	gsize ret = 0;
+	ptr = str;
+
+	while (*ptr) {
+		const gchar *old;
+		gunichar c = g_utf8_get_char(ptr);
+		old = ptr;
+		ptr = g_utf8_next_char(ptr);
+
+		/* it is our PUA encoded byte */
+		if ((c & 0xfff00) == 0xfff00)
+			ret++;
+		else
+			ret += ptr - old;
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+gboolean
+i_match_info_fetch_pos (const MatchInfo *match_info,
+                        gint match_num,
+                        gint *start_pos,
+                        gint *end_pos,
+                        const gchar *new_string)
+{
+	gint tmp_start, tmp_end, new_start_pos;
+	gboolean ret;
+
+	if (!new_string || (!start_pos && !end_pos))
+		return g_match_info_fetch_pos(match_info, match_num, start_pos, end_pos);
+
+	ret = g_match_info_fetch_pos(match_info, match_num, &tmp_start, &tmp_end);
+	if (start_pos || end_pos) {
+		gchar *to_start = g_strndup(new_string, tmp_start);
+		new_start_pos = strlen_pua_oddly(to_start);
+		g_free_not_null(to_start);
+
+		if (start_pos)
+			*start_pos = new_start_pos;
+
+		if (end_pos) {
+			gchar *to_end = g_strndup(new_string + tmp_start, tmp_end - tmp_start);
+			*end_pos = new_start_pos + strlen_pua_oddly(to_end);
+			g_free_not_null(to_end);
+		}
+	}
+	return ret;
+}
+
diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file src/core/iregex.h regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/iregex.h
--- src/core/iregex.h	1970-01-01 01:00:00.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/core/iregex.h	2017-03-11 21:57:00.000000000 +0100
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#ifndef __REGEX_H
+#define __REGEX_H
+
+#include "common.h"
+
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
+
+#include <glib.h>
+typedef	GRegex Regex;
+typedef	GMatchInfo MatchInfo;
+
+#else
+
+#include <regex.h>
+typedef	regex_t Regex;
+
+#endif
+
+Regex *
+i_regex_new (const gchar *pattern,
+             GRegexCompileFlags compile_options,
+             GRegexMatchFlags match_options,
+             GError **error);
+
+void
+i_regex_unref (Regex *regex);
+
+gboolean
+i_regex_match (const Regex *regex,
+               const gchar *string,
+               GRegexMatchFlags match_options,
+               MatchInfo **match_info,
+               const gchar **new_string);
+
+gboolean
+i_match_info_fetch_pos (const MatchInfo *match_info,
+                        gint match_num,
+                        gint *start_pos,
+                        gint *end_pos,
+                        const gchar *new_string);
+
+#endif
diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
--- src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c	2017-03-10 17:31:03.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c	2017-03-11 21:57:00.000000000 +0100
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "lib-config/iconfig.h"
 #include "settings.h"
+#include "iregex.h"
 
 #include "servers.h"
 #include "channels.h"
@@ -101,11 +102,7 @@ static void hilight_destroy(HILIGHT_REC
 {
 	g_return_if_fail(rec != NULL);
 
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
-	if (rec->preg != NULL) g_regex_unref(rec->preg);
-#else
-	if (rec->regexp_compiled) regfree(&rec->preg);
-#endif
+	if (rec->preg != NULL) i_regex_unref(rec->preg);
 	if (rec->channels != NULL) g_strfreev(rec->channels);
 	g_free_not_null(rec->color);
 	g_free_not_null(rec->act_color);
@@ -122,19 +119,10 @@ static void hilights_destroy_all(void)
 
 static void hilight_init_rec(HILIGHT_REC *rec)
 {
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	if (rec->preg != NULL)
-		g_regex_unref(rec->preg);
+		i_regex_unref(rec->preg);
 
-	rec->preg = g_regex_new(rec->text, G_REGEX_OPTIMIZE | G_REGEX_RAW | G_REGEX_CASELESS, 0, NULL);
-#else
-	if (rec->regexp_compiled) regfree(&rec->preg);
-	if (!rec->regexp)
-		rec->regexp_compiled = FALSE;
-	else
-		rec->regexp_compiled = regcomp(&rec->preg, rec->text,
-				rec->case_sensitive ? REG_EXTENDED : (REG_EXTENDED|REG_ICASE)) == 0;
-#endif
+	rec->preg = i_regex_new(rec->text, G_REGEX_OPTIMIZE | G_REGEX_CASELESS, 0, NULL);
 }
 
 void hilight_create(HILIGHT_REC *rec)
@@ -207,30 +195,18 @@ static gboolean hilight_match_text(HILIG
 	gboolean ret = FALSE;
 
 	if (rec->regexp) {
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 		if (rec->preg != NULL) {
 			GMatchInfo *match;
+			const char *new_text = NULL;
 
-			g_regex_match (rec->preg, text, 0, &match);
+			i_regex_match(rec->preg, text, 0, &match, &new_text);
 
 			if (g_match_info_matches(match))
-				ret = g_match_info_fetch_pos(match, 0, match_beg, match_end);
+				ret = i_match_info_fetch_pos(match, 0, match_beg, match_end, new_text);
 
 			g_match_info_free(match);
+			g_free_not_null((char *)new_text);
 		}
-#else
-		regmatch_t rmatch[1];
-
-		if (rec->regexp_compiled &&
-			regexec(&rec->preg, text, 1, rmatch, 0) == 0) {
-			if (rmatch[0].rm_so > 0 &&
-				match_beg != NULL && match_end != NULL) {
-				*match_beg = rmatch[0].rm_so;
-				*match_end = rmatch[0].rm_eo;
-			}
-			ret = TRUE;
-		}
-#endif
 	} else {
 		char *match;
 
@@ -529,13 +505,8 @@ static void hilight_print(int index, HIL
 	if (rec->case_sensitive) g_string_append(options, "-matchcase ");
 	if (rec->regexp) {
 		g_string_append(options, "-regexp ");
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 		if (rec->preg == NULL)
 			g_string_append(options, "[INVALID!] ");
-#else
-		if (!rec->regexp_compiled)
-			g_string_append(options, "[INVALID!] ");
-#endif
 	}
 
 	if (rec->priority != 0)
diff -pru --unidirectional-new-file src/fe-text/textbuffer.c regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/fe-text/textbuffer.c
--- src/fe-text/textbuffer.c	2017-03-10 17:31:03.000000000 +0100
+++ regex/irssi-1.0.2/src/fe-text/textbuffer.c	2017-03-11 21:57:00.000000000 +0100
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "formats.h"
 #include "utf8.h"
+#include "iregex.h"
 
 #include "textbuffer.h"
 
@@ -537,11 +538,7 @@ GList *textbuffer_find_text(TEXT_BUFFER_
 			    int before, int after,
 			    int regexp, int fullword, int case_sensitive)
 {
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
-	GRegex *preg;
-#else
-	regex_t preg;
-#endif
+	Regex *preg;
         LINE_REC *line, *pre_line;
 	GList *matches;
 	GString *str;
@@ -551,23 +548,14 @@ GList *textbuffer_find_text(TEXT_BUFFER_
 	g_return_val_if_fail(buffer != NULL, NULL);
 	g_return_val_if_fail(text != NULL, NULL);
 
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	preg = NULL;
 
 	if (regexp) {
-		preg = g_regex_new(text, G_REGEX_RAW | (case_sensitive ? 0 : G_REGEX_CASELESS), 0, NULL);
+		preg = i_regex_new(text, case_sensitive ? 0 : G_REGEX_CASELESS, 0, NULL);
 
 		if (preg == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
-#else
-	if (regexp) {
-		int flags = REG_EXTENDED | REG_NOSUB |
-			(case_sensitive ? 0 : REG_ICASE);
-		if (regcomp(&preg, text, flags) != 0)
-			return NULL;
-	}
-#endif
 
 	matches = NULL; match_after = 0;
         str = g_string_new(NULL);
@@ -584,17 +572,16 @@ GList *textbuffer_find_text(TEXT_BUFFER_
 			(line->info.level & nolevel) == 0;
 
 		if (*text != '\0') {
+			const char *tmp = NULL;
 			textbuffer_line2text(line, FALSE, str);
 
 			if (line_matched) {
 				line_matched = regexp ?
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
-				    g_regex_match(preg, str->str, 0, NULL)
-#else
-				    regexec(&preg, str->str, 0, NULL, 0) == 0
-#endif
+					i_regex_match(preg, str->str, 0, NULL, &tmp)
 					: match_func(str->str, text) != NULL;
 			}
+			if (tmp && tmp != str->str)
+				g_free_not_null((char *)tmp);
 		}
 
 		if (line_matched) {
@@ -623,12 +610,8 @@ GList *textbuffer_find_text(TEXT_BUFFER_
 		}
 	}
 
-#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	if (preg != NULL)
-		g_regex_unref(preg);
-#else
-	if (regexp) regfree(&preg);
-#endif
+		i_regex_unref(preg);
         g_string_free(str, TRUE);
 	return matches;
 }