diff --git a/include/common/regex.h b/include/common/regex.h
index a3d1b5f40..9789ec3c9 100644
--- a/include/common/regex.h
+++ b/include/common/regex.h
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ struct my_regex {
 #else /* no PCRE */
 	regex_t regex;
 #endif
-	char *regstr; /* this contain the original string */
 };
 
 /* what to do when a header matches a regex */
@@ -109,8 +108,6 @@ static inline void regex_free(struct my_regex *preg) {
 #else
 	regfree(&preg->regex);
 #endif
-	free(preg->regstr);
-	preg->regstr = NULL;
 }
 
 #endif /* _COMMON_REGEX_H */
diff --git a/src/pattern.c b/src/pattern.c
index 43d6e968e..94b338c3b 100644
--- a/src/pattern.c
+++ b/src/pattern.c
@@ -231,8 +231,7 @@ int pat_parse_reg(const char *text, struct pattern *pattern, char **err)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	pattern->ptr.reg = (struct my_regex *)trash->str;
-	pattern->ptr.reg->regstr = (char *)text;
+	pattern->ptr.str = (char *)text;
 
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -1037,7 +1036,7 @@ int pat_idx_list_reg(struct pattern_expr *expr, struct pattern *pat, char **err)
 	}
 
 	/* compile regex */
-	if (!regex_comp(pat->ptr.reg->regstr, patl->pat.ptr.reg, !(patl->pat.flags & PAT_F_IGNORE_CASE), 0, err)) {
+	if (!regex_comp(pat->ptr.str, patl->pat.ptr.reg, !(patl->pat.flags & PAT_F_IGNORE_CASE), 0, err)) {
 		free(patl);
 		free(patl->pat.ptr.reg);
 		return 0;
diff --git a/src/regex.c b/src/regex.c
index 64f93c30e..7a7694050 100644
--- a/src/regex.c
+++ b/src/regex.c
@@ -124,13 +124,6 @@ const char *chain_regex(struct hdr_exp **head, const regex_t *preg,
 
 int regex_comp(const char *str, struct my_regex *regex, int cs, int cap, char **err)
 {
-	/* copy the original regex format */
-	regex->regstr = strdup(str);
-	if (!regex->regstr) {
-		memprintf(err, "out of memory");
-		return 0;
-	}
-
 #ifdef USE_PCRE_JIT
 	int flags = 0;
 	const char *error;
@@ -143,14 +136,12 @@ int regex_comp(const char *str, struct my_regex *regex, int cs, int cap, char **
 
 	regex->reg = pcre_compile(str, flags, &error, &erroffset, NULL);
 	if (!regex->reg) {
-		free(regex->regstr);
 		memprintf(err, "regex '%s' is invalid (error=%s, erroffset=%d)", str, error, erroffset);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
 	regex->extra = pcre_study(regex->reg, PCRE_STUDY_JIT_COMPILE, &error);
 	if (!regex->extra) {
-		free(regex->regstr);
 		pcre_free(regex->reg);
 		memprintf(err, "failed to compile regex '%s' (error=%s)", str, error);
 		return 0;
@@ -164,7 +155,6 @@ int regex_comp(const char *str, struct my_regex *regex, int cs, int cap, char **
 		flags |= REG_NOSUB;
 
 	if (regcomp(&regex->regex, str, flags) != 0) {
-		free(regex->regstr);
 		memprintf(err, "regex '%s' is invalid", str);
 		return 0;
 	}