diff --git a/filters.cpp b/filters.cpp
index f5428e4..a06360b 100644
--- a/filters.cpp
+++ b/filters.cpp
@@ -94,55 +94,64 @@ const std::string* StringFilter::error() const {
 }
 
 bool StringFilter::_match_no_regex(const LogcatEntry& entry) const {
-    bool matched;
     if (this->exact_match) {
         switch (this->key) {
-            case FilterKey::User: matched = entry.user.value_or("") == this->other; break;
-            case FilterKey::Tag: matched = entry.tag == this->other; break;
-            case FilterKey::Message: matched = entry.message == this->other; break;
+            case FilterKey::User: return entry.user && *entry.user == this->other;
+            case FilterKey::Tag: return entry.tag == this->other;
+            case FilterKey::Message: return entry.message == this->other;
             default: throw std::runtime_error("StringFilter::match received unhandled key");
         }
     } else {
         switch (this->key) {
-            case FilterKey::User: matched = entry.user.value_or("").find(this->other) != std::string::npos; break;
-            case FilterKey::Tag: matched = entry.tag.find(this->other) != std::string::npos; break;
-            case FilterKey::Message: matched = entry.message.find(this->other) != std::string::npos; break;
+            case FilterKey::User: return entry.user && entry.user->find(this->other) != std::string::npos;
+            case FilterKey::Tag: return entry.tag.find(this->other) != std::string::npos;
+            case FilterKey::Message: return entry.message.find(this->other) != std::string::npos;
             default: throw std::runtime_error("StringFilter::match received unhandled key");
         }
     }
-    return !this->inverted ? matched : !matched;
 }
 
-bool StringFilter::match(const LogcatEntry& entry) const {
-    bool matched;
-
-    if (this->error()) {
-        log(std::string("StringFilter::match called despite there being an error: ") + *this->error());
-        return true;
-    }
-    if (!this->other.starts_with("regex:")) {
-        return this->_match_no_regex(entry);
-    }
+bool StringFilter::_match_regex(const LogcatEntry& entry) const {
     if (!this->_regex) {
         log("StringFilter::match called with a regex despite there being no regex");
         return true;
     }
 
-    std::string str;
+    bool matched;
+    const std::string* str;
     regmatch_t pmatch[1];
+    int eflags = REG_STARTEND;
+
     switch (this->key) {
-        case FilterKey::User: str = entry.user.value_or(""); break;
-        case FilterKey::Tag: str = entry.tag; break;
-        case FilterKey::Message: str = entry.message; break;
+        case FilterKey::User: str = entry.user ? &*entry.user : nullptr; break;
+        case FilterKey::Tag: str = &entry.tag; break;
+        case FilterKey::Message: str = &entry.message; break;
         default: throw std::runtime_error("StringFilter::match received unhandled key");
     }
     pmatch[0].rm_so = 0;
-    pmatch[0].rm_eo = static_cast<regoff_t>(str.size());
-
-    matched = this->_regex->match(str.data(), 1, pmatch, REG_STARTEND);
-    if (this->exact_match) {
-        matched = matched && pmatch[0].rm_so == 0 && static_cast<size_t>(pmatch[0].rm_eo) == str.size();
+    pmatch[0].rm_eo = str ? static_cast<regoff_t>(str->size()) : 0;
+    if (!this->exact_match) {
+        eflags |= REG_NOSUB;
     }
+
+    matched = this->_regex->match(str ? str->data() : "", 1, pmatch, eflags);
+    if (this->exact_match) {
+        matched = matched && pmatch[0].rm_so == 0 && str
+            ? static_cast<size_t>(pmatch[0].rm_eo) == str->size()
+            : pmatch[0].rm_so == 0;
+    }
+    return matched;
+}
+
+bool StringFilter::match(const LogcatEntry& entry) const {
+    if (this->error()) {
+        log(std::string("StringFilter::match called despite there being an error: ") + *this->error());
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    bool matched = !this->other.starts_with("regex:")
+        ? this->_match_no_regex(entry)
+        : this->_match_regex(entry);
     return !this->inverted ? matched : !matched;
 }
 
diff --git a/filters.h b/filters.h
index 3172e16..e96ec78 100644
--- a/filters.h
+++ b/filters.h
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     bool _match_no_regex(const LogcatEntry& entry) const;
+    bool _match_regex(const LogcatEntry& entry) const;
 
     std::string _error;
     std::optional<Pcre2Regex> _regex;