diff --git a/src/selector/selector.js b/src/selector/selector.js
index e9e859e0..08b64066 100644
--- a/src/selector/selector.js
+++ b/src/selector/selector.js
@@ -312,13 +312,13 @@ jQuery.extend({
 				var m = re.exec( t );
 
 				if ( m ) {
+					// Remove what we just matched
+					t = t.substring( m[0].length );
+
 					// Re-organize the first match
 					if ( jQuery.expr[ m[1] ]._resort )
 						m = jQuery.expr[ m[1] ]._resort( m );
 
-					// Remove what we just matched
-					t = t.replace( re, "" );
-
 					break;
 				}
 			}