diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions.php b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
index 69be1627cf..20d9d4e0f5 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
@@ -3451,11 +3451,11 @@ function get_censor_preg_expression($word)
 		$unicode = ((version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '5.1.0', '>=') || (version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '5.0.0-dev', '<=') && version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '4.4.0', '>='))) && @preg_match('/\p{L}/u', 'a') !== false) ? true : false;
 	}
 
+	// Unescape the asterisk to simplify further conversions
+	$word = str_replace('\*', '*', preg_quote($word, '#'));
+
 	if ($unicode)
 	{
-		// Unescape the asterisk to simplify further conversions
-		$word = str_replace('\*', '*', preg_quote($word, '#'));
-
 		// Replace asterisk(s) inside the pattern, at the start and at the end of it with regexes
 		$word = preg_replace(array('#(?<=[\p{Nd}\p{L}_])\*+(?=[\p{Nd}\p{L}_])#iu', '#^\*+#', '#\*+$#'), array('([\x20]*?|[\p{Nd}\p{L}_-]*?)', '[\p{Nd}\p{L}_-]*?', '[\p{Nd}\p{L}_-]*?'), $word);
 
@@ -3464,7 +3464,11 @@ function get_censor_preg_expression($word)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		$preg_expr = '#(?<!\S)(' . str_replace('\*', '\S*?', preg_quote($word, '#')) . ')(?!\S)#iu';
+		// Replace the asterisk inside the pattern, at the start and at the end of it with regexes
+		$word = preg_replace(array('#(?<=\S)\*+(?=\S)#iu', '#^\*+#', '#\*+$#'), array('(\x20*?\S*?)', '\S*?', '\S*?'), $word);
+
+		// Generate the final substitution
+		$preg_expr = '#(?<!\S)(' . $word . ')(?!\S)#iu';
 	}
 
 	return $preg_expr;