diff --git a/scripts/run-regtests.sh b/scripts/run-regtests.sh
index 5acd5a15a..1af935075 100755
--- a/scripts/run-regtests.sh
+++ b/scripts/run-regtests.sh
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ _findtests() {
       IFS="|"; set -- $requiredoption;  IFS=$OLDIFS; alternatives="$*"
       found=
       for alt in $alternatives; do
-        if echo "$FEATURES" | grep -qw "\+$alt"; then
+        if [ -z "${FEATURES_PATTERN##* +$alt *}" ]; then
           found=1;
 	fi
       done
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ _findtests() {
       IFS="|"; set -- $requiredservice;  IFS=$OLDIFS; alternatives="$*"
       found=
       for alt in $alternatives; do
-        if echo "$SERVICES" | grep -qw "$alt"; then
+        if [ -z "${SERVICES_PATTERN##* $alt *}" ]; then
           found=1;
 	fi
       done
@@ -345,6 +345,9 @@ EOF
 HAPROXY_VERSION=$(echo $HAPROXY_VERSION | cut -d " " -f 3)
 echo "Testing with haproxy version: $HAPROXY_VERSION"
 
+FEATURES_PATTERN=" $FEATURES "
+SERVICES_PATTERN=" $SERVICES "
+
 TESTRUNDATETIME="$(date '+%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S')"
 
 mkdir -p "$TESTDIR" || exit 1