diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm
index 75f126522..6c2c1f8fd 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm
@@ -1896,7 +1896,7 @@ sub optimize_level4( $$ ) {
 		    #
 		    # Chain has a single rule
 		    #
-		    if ( $firstrule =~ /^-A -[jg] ([^\s])(\s+-m comment .*)?\s*$/ ) {
+		    if ( $firstrule =~ /^-A -[jg] ([^\s]+)(\s+-m comment .*)?\s*$/ ) {
 			#
 			# Easy case -- the rule is a simple jump
 			#