diff --git a/bindings/java/.sigar_shellrc b/bindings/java/.sigar_shellrc
index 4e3ddaed..7d48f0b2 100644
--- a/bindings/java/.sigar_shellrc
+++ b/bindings/java/.sigar_shellrc
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ alias tcfind ptql State.Name.eq=java,Args.*.eq=org.apache.catalina.startup.Boots
 #($1 is the return value of the first query in the string)
 #'Pne' => 'P' flags means parent of matched process
 #to filter out httpd child processes
-alias apfind ptql State.Name.re=^(https?d.*|[Aa]pache2?)$,State.Name.Pne=$1
+alias apfind ptql State.Name.re=https?d.*|[Aa]pache2?$,State.Name.Pne=$1
 
 #find ant processes (ant hangs on me sometimes)
 #(* matches any value in the array)
diff --git a/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/ptql/ProcessQueryHelper.java b/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/ptql/ProcessQueryHelper.java
index d933b5dc..2036a7c4 100644
--- a/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/ptql/ProcessQueryHelper.java
+++ b/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/ptql/ProcessQueryHelper.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ public class ProcessQueryHelper {
         stringMatchers.put("ne", new StringNeMatcher());
         stringMatchers.put("sw", new StringSwMatcher());
         stringMatchers.put("ew", new StringEwMatcher());
-        //stringMatchers.put("re", new StringReMatcher());
+        stringMatchers.put("re", new StringReMatcher());
         stringMatchers.put("ct", new StringCtMatcher());
     }
 
@@ -104,14 +104,12 @@ public class ProcessQueryHelper {
         }
     }
 
-    //XXX requires jdk 1.4+ to compile
-    /*
     static class StringReMatcher implements StringMatcher {
         public boolean match(String left, String right) {
-            return left.matches(right);
+            return StringPattern.matches(left, right);
         }
     }
-    */
+
     public static boolean argsMatch(SigarProxy proxy, long pid,
                                     String value, String op)
         throws SigarException, SigarNotImplementedException {
diff --git a/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/ptql/StringPattern.java b/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/ptql/StringPattern.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d7ad7254
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/ptql/StringPattern.java
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+package net.hyperic.sigar.ptql;
+
+import java.lang.reflect.Method;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import net.hyperic.sigar.util.ReferenceMap;
+
+public class StringPattern {
+    static Class patternClass;
+    static Method compile, matcher, find;
+    private static Map patterns = null;
+    
+    //XXX avoiding 1.4 requirement
+    private static void init() throws Exception {
+        patterns = ReferenceMap.synchronizedMap();
+        patternClass = Class.forName("java.util.regex.Pattern");
+        Class matcherClass = Class.forName("java.util.regex.Matcher");
+        Class[] arg = { String.class };
+        compile = patternClass.getDeclaredMethod("compile", arg);
+        arg = new Class[] { Class.forName("java.lang.CharSequence") };
+        matcher = patternClass.getDeclaredMethod("matcher", arg);
+        find = matcherClass.getDeclaredMethod("find", new Class[0]);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Wrapper around Pattern.compile(regex).matcher(source).find()
+     */
+    public static boolean matches(String source, String regex) {
+        try {
+            if (patterns == null) {
+                init();
+            }
+
+            Object pattern = patterns.get(regex);
+            if (pattern == null) {
+                //pattern = Pattern.compile(regex)
+                pattern = compile.invoke(patternClass, new Object[] { regex });
+                patterns.put(regex, pattern);
+            }
+            //m = pattern.matcher(source)
+            Object m = matcher.invoke(pattern, new Object[] { source });
+            //result = m.find()
+            Boolean result = (Boolean)find.invoke(m, new Object[0]);
+            return result.booleanValue();
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            System.err.println("Error matching '" +
+                               regex + "' against '" +
+                               source + "'");
+            e.printStackTrace();
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+}
+