diff --git a/etemplate/inc/class.uietemplate.inc.php b/etemplate/inc/class.uietemplate.inc.php
index 5b4d213b73..a6cd4f249c 100644
--- a/etemplate/inc/class.uietemplate.inc.php
+++ b/etemplate/inc/class.uietemplate.inc.php
@@ -313,7 +313,8 @@
 			{
 				if ($cname) $name = preg_replace('/^'.$cname.'\[([^\]]+)\](.*)$/','\\1\\2',$name);
 
-				if (!preg_match($ignore_validation,$name))
+				// treat $ignoare_validation only as regular expression, if it starts with a slash
+				if ($ignore_validation[0] == '/' && !preg_match($ignore_validation,$name) || $ignore_validation != $name)
 				{
 					//echo "<p>uietemplate::validation_errors('$ignore_validation','$cname') name='$name' ($error) not ignored!!!</p>\n";
 					return true;