diff --git a/vassal-app/src/main/java/VASSAL/configure/ConfigureTree.java b/vassal-app/src/main/java/VASSAL/configure/ConfigureTree.java
index d87d7a5371..cd3c6cbfa9 100644
--- a/vassal-app/src/main/java/VASSAL/configure/ConfigureTree.java
+++ b/vassal-app/src/main/java/VASSAL/configure/ConfigureTree.java
@@ -2662,6 +2662,10 @@ else if (c instanceof PrototypeDefinition) {
      */
     private boolean checkString(String target, String searchString) {
       if (searchParameters.isMatchRegex()) {
+        // patch search string to avoid exception when Regex starts with * only
+        if (searchString.substring(0,1) == "*") {
+          searchString = "." + searchString;
+        }
         if (searchParameters.isMatchCase()) {
           return target.matches(searchString);
         }