diff --git a/src/eldap/eldap_utils.erl b/src/eldap/eldap_utils.erl
index 66a1fcfef..056499d4a 100644
--- a/src/eldap/eldap_utils.erl
+++ b/src/eldap/eldap_utils.erl
@@ -94,17 +94,18 @@ get_user_part(String, Pattern) ->
 	{'EXIT', _} ->
 	    {error, badmatch};
 	Result ->
-	    case regexp:sub(Pattern, "%u", Result) of
-		{ok, StringRes, _} ->
+            case catch ejabberd_regexp:replace(Pattern, "%u", Result) of
+                {'EXIT', _} ->
+                    {error, badmatch};
+		StringRes ->
                     case (string:to_lower(StringRes) ==
                               string:to_lower(String)) of
                         true ->
                             {ok, Result};
                         false ->
                             {error, badmatch}
-                    end;
-		_ -> {error, badmatch}
-	    end
+                    end
+            end
     end.
 
 make_filter(Data, UIDs) ->