--- ./regcomp.c.orig 2014-05-26 13:34:20.000000000 +0000 +++ ./regcomp.c 2014-06-02 14:39:25.188429940 +0000 @@ -9771,7 +9771,7 @@ S_reg(pTHX_ RExC_state_t *pRExC_state, I ret = reganode(pRExC_state, GOSUB, num); if (!SIZE_ONLY) { - if (num > (I32)RExC_rx->nparens) { + if (num < 0 || num > (I32)RExC_rx->nparens) { RExC_parse++; vFAIL("Reference to nonexistent group"); }