diff --git a/Units/regex-flag-anonymous-gnu.d/args.ctags b/Units/regex-flag-anonymous-gnu.d/args.ctags
index 2d55e1ac39..5d904aafa3 100644
--- a/Units/regex-flag-anonymous-gnu.d/args.ctags
+++ b/Units/regex-flag-anonymous-gnu.d/args.ctags
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@
 --kinddef-foo=m,module,modules
 --kinddef-foo=x,exception,exceptions
 
---regex-foo=/^defmodule *([a-zA-Z0-9]+) *do/\1/m/{scope=push}
+--regex-foo=/^defmodule\s*(\w+)\s*do/\1/m/{scope=push}
 --regex-foo=/^end//{scope=pop}{placeholder}
---regex-foo=/ +defexception( +.*)$//x/{_anonymous=exception}{scope=ref}
+--regex-foo=/\s+defexception(\s+.*)$//x/{_anonymous=exception}{scope=ref}
diff --git a/Units/regex-flag-anonymous-gnu.d/expected.tags b/Units/regex-flag-anonymous-gnu.d/expected.tags
index 4f0fc29e54..1624b61280 100644
--- a/Units/regex-flag-anonymous-gnu.d/expected.tags
+++ b/Units/regex-flag-anonymous-gnu.d/expected.tags
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 MyAppError1	input.foo	/^defmodule MyAppError1 do$/;"	m
-exceptionf9e1959f0101	input.foo	/^  defexception [:message]$/;"	x	module:MyAppError1
+exception4808aff60101	input.foo	/^  defexception [:message]$/;"	x	module:MyAppError1
 MyAppError2	input.foo	/^defmodule MyAppError2 do$/;"	m
-exceptionf9e1959f0201	input.foo	/^  defexception [:message]$/;"	x	module:MyAppError2
+exception4808aff60201	input.foo	/^  defexception [:message]$/;"	x	module:MyAppError2
diff --git a/Units/regex-multiline-flag-dos-gnu.d/args.ctags b/Units/regex-multiline-flag-dos-gnu.d/args.ctags
index ef6f0538d2..37898a2fc5 100644
--- a/Units/regex-multiline-flag-dos-gnu.d/args.ctags
+++ b/Units/regex-multiline-flag-dos-gnu.d/args.ctags
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Taken from #1473 opened by WillDHB
 --langdef=mltest
---mline-regex-mltest=/@subscribe([[:space:]])*([a-z ]+)[[:space:]]*([a-zA-Z]*)\(([a-zA-Z]*)/\3-\4/s,subscription/{mgroup=3}
+--mline-regex-mltest=/@subscribe\s*[a-z ]+\s*([a-zA-Z]*)\(([a-zA-Z]*)/\1-\2/s,subscription/{mgroup=1}
 --excmd=mixed
 --fields=+ln
 --language-force=mltest
diff --git a/Units/regex-multiline-flag-gnu.d/args.ctags b/Units/regex-multiline-flag-gnu.d/args.ctags
index 6b1dbbd8fb..d73690a63a 100644
--- a/Units/regex-multiline-flag-gnu.d/args.ctags
+++ b/Units/regex-multiline-flag-gnu.d/args.ctags
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 --langdef=javaspring
 --langmap=javaspring:.java
---mline-regex-javaspring=/@Subscribe([[:space:]])*([a-z ]+)[[:space:]]*([a-zA-Z]*)\(([a-zA-Z]*)/\3-\4/s,subscription/{mgroup=3}
+--mline-regex-javaspring=/@Subscribe\s*[a-z ]+\s*([a-zA-Z]*)\(([a-zA-Z]*)/\1-\2/s,subscription/{mgroup=1}
 --excmd=mixed
 --fields=+ln
diff --git a/Units/regex-multiline-flag-hat-and-doller-gnu.d/args.ctags b/Units/regex-multiline-flag-hat-and-doller-gnu.d/args.ctags
index b340596bd6..2fca370548 100644
--- a/Units/regex-multiline-flag-hat-and-doller-gnu.d/args.ctags
+++ b/Units/regex-multiline-flag-hat-and-doller-gnu.d/args.ctags
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
 --langmap=FOOBAR:.foobar
 --kinddef-FOOBAR=d,def,definitions
 --kinddef-FOOBAR=D,Def,Definitions
---mline-regex-foobar=/^def[\n\t ]+([a-z]+)$/\1/d/{mgroup=1}
---mline-regex-foobar=/[\n]?def[\n\t ]+([a-z]+)\n/\1/D/{mgroup=1}
+--mline-regex-foobar=/^def\s+([a-z]+)$/\1/d/{mgroup=1}
+--mline-regex-foobar=/[\n]?def\s+([a-z]+)\n/\1/D/{mgroup=1}
 --fields=+ln
diff --git a/Units/regex-multiline-flag-newline-gnu.d/args.ctags b/Units/regex-multiline-flag-newline-gnu.d/args.ctags
index d299d566f0..8398b5ab36 100644
--- a/Units/regex-multiline-flag-newline-gnu.d/args.ctags
+++ b/Units/regex-multiline-flag-newline-gnu.d/args.ctags
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 --langdef=FOOBAR
 --langmap=FOOBAR:.foobar
 --kinddef-FOOBAR=d,def,definitions
---mline-regex-foobar=/^def((\n[\n\t])|(: ))([a-z0-9-]+)/\4/d/{mgroup=4}
+--mline-regex-foobar=/^def(\n[\n\t]|: )(\w+)/\2/d/{mgroup=2}
 --fields=+ln
diff --git a/Units/regex-with-scope-autoFQTag-gnu.d/args.ctags b/Units/regex-with-scope-autoFQTag-gnu.d/args.ctags
index fcdb2b8b1f..2eb85a84b7 100644
--- a/Units/regex-with-scope-autoFQTag-gnu.d/args.ctags
+++ b/Units/regex-with-scope-autoFQTag-gnu.d/args.ctags
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@
 --langdef=foo{_autoFQTag}
     --map-foo=+.foo
     --regex-foo=/^#.*//{exclusive}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*define[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)[[:blank:]]*\{/\1/d,definition/{scope=push}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*\{/_/d,definition/{scope=push}{placeholder}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*package[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/p,package/{scope=push}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*end[[:blank:]]*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*\}[[:blank:]]*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*ns[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/n,namespace/{scope=set}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*var[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/v,var/{scope=ref}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*global//{scope=clear}{exclusive}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*define\s+(\w+)\s*\{/\1/d,definition/{scope=push}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*\{/_/d,definition/{scope=push}{placeholder}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*package\s+(\w+)/\1/p,package/{scope=push}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*end\s*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*\}\s*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*ns\s+(\w+)/\1/n,namespace/{scope=set}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*var\s+(\w+)/\1/v,var/{scope=ref}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*global//{scope=clear}{exclusive}
diff --git a/Units/regex-with-scope-gnu.d/args.ctags b/Units/regex-with-scope-gnu.d/args.ctags
index 77615282ab..3b053e1b92 100644
--- a/Units/regex-with-scope-gnu.d/args.ctags
+++ b/Units/regex-with-scope-gnu.d/args.ctags
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
 --langdef=foo
     --map-foo=+.foo
     --regex-foo=/^#.*//{exclusive}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*define[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)[[:blank:]]*\{/\1/d,definition/{scope=push}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*\{/_/d,definition/{scope=push}{placeholder}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*package[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/p,package/{scope=push}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*end[[:blank:]]*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*\}[[:blank:]]*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*ns[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/n,namespace/{scope=set}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*var[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/v,var/{scope=ref}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*global//{scope=clear}{exclusive}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*define\s+(\w+)\s*\{/\1/d,definition/{scope=push}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*\{/_/d,definition/{scope=push}{placeholder}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*package\s+(\w+)/\1/p,package/{scope=push}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*end\s*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*\}\s*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*ns\s+(\w+)/\1/n,namespace/{scope=set}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*var\s+(\w+)/\1/v,var/{scope=ref}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*global//{scope=clear}{exclusive}
diff --git a/Units/regex-with-scope-nested-gnu.d/args.ctags b/Units/regex-with-scope-nested-gnu.d/args.ctags
index 502137fa7f..0e716091e1 100644
--- a/Units/regex-with-scope-nested-gnu.d/args.ctags
+++ b/Units/regex-with-scope-nested-gnu.d/args.ctags
@@ -5,18 +5,18 @@
 --langdef=foo
     --map-foo=+.foo
     --regex-foo=/^#.*//{exclusive}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*define[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)[[:blank:]]*\{/\1/d,definition/{scope=push}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*\{/_/d,definition/{scope=push}{placeholder}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*package[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/p,package/{scope=push}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*end[[:blank:]]*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*\}[[:blank:]]*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*ns[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/n,namespace/{scope=set}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*var[[:blank:]]+([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/v,var/{scope=ref}
-    --regex-foo=/^[[:blank:]]*global//{scope=clear}{exclusive}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*define\s+(\w+)\s*\{/\1/d,definition/{scope=push}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*\{/_/d,definition/{scope=push}{placeholder}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*package\s+(\w+)/\1/p,package/{scope=push}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*end\s*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*\}\s*$//{scope=pop}{exclusive}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*ns\s+(\w+)/\1/n,namespace/{scope=set}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*var\s+(\w+)/\1/v,var/{scope=ref}
+    --regex-foo=/^\s*global//{scope=clear}{exclusive}
 
 --langdef=bar{base=foo}
    --kinddef-bar=s,scope,scopes
    --kinddef-bar=d,definition,definitions
-   --regex-bar=/^# open:([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/s/{scope=push}
-   --regex-bar=/^# def:([[:alnum:]_]+)/\1/d/{scope=ref}
+   --regex-bar=/^# open:(\w+)/\1/s/{scope=push}
+   --regex-bar=/^# def:(\w+)/\1/d/{scope=ref}
    --regex-bar=/^# close//{scope=pop}{exclusive}