diff --git a/git-hooks/sanitize-commit b/git-hooks/sanitize-commit
index 909e98faf0ae725109d3d8729656239ebf205854..c9664efda99964d598f9cda77ec85d34b5ab6bc8 100755
--- a/git-hooks/sanitize-commit
+++ b/git-hooks/sanitize-commit
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ sub check_email($$$$)
     # - contain no spaces
     # - have words starting with lowercase (except for common Nobiliary particles)
     # - have single letters not followed by a dot or apostrophe
-    if (!defined($good_names{$real}) && ($real !~ / / || $real =~ /\b(?!de|d'|van|von)\p{Ll}|\b\pL([^.'\pL]|$)/u)) {
+    if (!defined($good_names{$real}) && ($real !~ / / || $real =~ /\b(?!de|d'|van|von)\p{Ll}|\b\pL([^.'\pL]|$)/)) {
         if ($gerrit_rest) {
             do_complain($line, "Suspicious real name", "email");
         } else {