diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions.php b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
index 69be1627cf..8697a0a472 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
@@ -3432,30 +3432,26 @@ function get_preg_expression($mode)
 * Generate regexp for naughty words censoring
 * Depends on whether installed PHP version supports unicode properties
 *
-* @param string	$word	word template to be replaced
+* @param string	$word			word template to be replaced
+* @param bool	$use_unicode	whether or not to take advantage of PCRE supporting unicode 
 *
 * @return string $preg_expr		regex to use with word censor
 */
-function get_censor_preg_expression($word)
+function get_censor_preg_expression($word, $use_unicode = true)
 {
-	static $unicode = null;
-
-	if (empty($word))
-	{
-		return '';
-	}
+	static $unicode_support = null;
 
 	// Check whether PHP version supports unicode properties
-	if (is_null($unicode))
+	if (is_null($unicode_support))
 	{
-		$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;
+		$unicode_support = ((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;
 	}
 
-	if ($unicode)
-	{
-		// Unescape the asterisk to simplify further conversions
-		$word = str_replace('\*', '*', preg_quote($word, '#'));
+	// Unescape the asterisk to simplify further conversions
+	$word = str_replace('\*', '*', preg_quote($word, '#'));
 
+	if ($use_unicode && $unicode_support)
+	{
 		// 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 +3460,11 @@ 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 $preg_expr;
diff --git a/tests/regex/censor_test.php b/tests/regex/censor_test.php
index ae2d86e07e..93c761c8d0 100644
--- a/tests/regex/censor_test.php
+++ b/tests/regex/censor_test.php
@@ -31,9 +31,19 @@ class phpbb_regex_censor_test extends phpbb_test_case
 	/**
 	* @dataProvider censor_test_data
 	*/
-	public function test_censor($pattern, $subject)
+	public function test_censor_unicode($pattern, $subject)
 	{
-		$regex = get_censor_preg_expression($pattern);
+		$regex = get_censor_preg_expression($pattern, true);
+
+		$this->assertRegExp($regex, $subject);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	* @dataProvider censor_test_data
+	*/
+	public function test_censor_no_unicode($pattern, $subject)
+	{
+		$regex = get_censor_preg_expression($pattern, false);
 
 		$this->assertRegExp($regex, $subject);
 	}