diff --git a/src/gitolite.pm b/src/gitolite.pm
index 46d537c..c61a566 100644
--- a/src/gitolite.pm
+++ b/src/gitolite.pm
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ sub expand_wild
         $actual_repo =~ s/^\.\///;
         $actual_repo =~ s/\.git$//;
         # actual_repo has to match the pattern being expanded
-        next unless $actual_repo =~ /^$repo$/;
+        next unless $actual_repo =~ /$repo/;
         # if actual_repo is present "as is" in the config, those
         # permissions will override anything inherited from a
         # wildcard that also happens to match
diff --git a/src/gl-auth-command b/src/gl-auth-command
index 443bd8f..3d7eefc 100755
--- a/src/gl-auth-command
+++ b/src/gl-auth-command
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ if ($ENV{SSH_ORIGINAL_COMMAND} =~ $CUSTOM_COMMANDS) {
     my $cmd = $ENV{SSH_ORIGINAL_COMMAND};
     my ($verb, $repo) = ($cmd =~ /^\s*(\S+)(?:\s+\/?(.*?)(?:.git)?)?$/);
     # deal with "no argument" cases
-    $verb eq 'expand' ? $repo = '.*' : die "$verb needs an argument\n" unless $repo;
+    $verb eq 'expand' ? $repo = '^' : die "$verb needs an argument\n" unless $repo;
     if ($repo =~ $REPONAME_PATT and $verb =~ /getperms|setperms/) {
         # with an actual reponame, you can "getperms" or "setperms"
         get_set_perms($repo_base_abs, $repo, $verb, $user);