diff --git a/ocaml-findlib.rpm.prov_req.attr.sh b/ocaml-findlib.rpm.prov_req.attr.sh
index af95834..b29f399 100644
--- a/ocaml-findlib.rpm.prov_req.attr.sh
+++ b/ocaml-findlib.rpm.prov_req.attr.sh
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ do_work() {
             if (candidate == "+") {
               next
             }
+            if (candidate ~ /^\^/) {
+              next
+            }
             if (candidate ~ /^\+/) {
               candidate = substr(candidate, 2);
             }