diff --git a/src/regex_impl.cc b/src/regex_impl.cc
index 8b6626fb6..993119b91 100644
--- a/src/regex_impl.cc
+++ b/src/regex_impl.cc
@@ -858,6 +858,8 @@ private:
                     else
                         start_chars.map[node->value] = true;
                 }
+                else
+                    start_chars.accept_other = true;
                 return node->quantifier.allows_none();
             case ParsedRegex::AnyChar:
                 for (auto& b : start_chars.map)
@@ -1332,6 +1334,11 @@ auto test_regex = UnitTest{[]{
         kak_assert(vm.exec("abcde"));
     }
 
+    {
+        TestVM<> vm{R"(д)"};
+        kak_assert(vm.exec("д", RegexExecFlags::Search));
+    }
+
     {
         TestVM<> vm{R"(\0\x0A\u260e\u260F)"};
         const char str[] = "\0\n☎☏"; // work around the null byte in the literal