diff --git a/src/post_modules/_Regexp_PCRE/pcre_glue.cmod b/src/post_modules/_Regexp_PCRE/pcre_glue.cmod
index 31b9e9202896a0acf62fd04ed3a4033f05e02041..59a90c2e3861d1d77dfa2e68c0ad63ba9e1b410e 100644
--- a/src/post_modules/_Regexp_PCRE/pcre_glue.cmod
+++ b/src/post_modules/_Regexp_PCRE/pcre_glue.cmod
@@ -440,8 +440,8 @@ PIKECLASS _pcre
 
 	 switch (args) /* get ints and check 8 bit compliancy */
 	 {
-	    case 2: get_all_args("exec",args,"%s%d",&dummy_s,&off); break;
-	    case 1: get_all_args("exec",args,"%s",&dummy_s); break;
+	    case 2: get_all_args("exec",args,"%c.%d",&dummy_s,&off); break;
+	    case 1: get_all_args("exec",args,"%c",&dummy_s); break;
 	 }
 
 	 if (off > subject->len) {