diff --git a/api/api.lua b/api/api.lua
index 82c415cc..5c2d5e18 100644
--- a/api/api.lua
+++ b/api/api.lua
@@ -143,17 +143,27 @@ end
 -- 'pattern'    [string]         unformatted pattern
 -- returns:     [string]         simplified gfind compatible pattern
 local sanitize_cache = {}
-function pfUI.api.SanitizePattern(pattern)
+function pfUI.api.SanitizePattern(pattern, dbg)
   if not sanitize_cache[pattern] then
     local ret = pattern
     -- escape brackets
     ret = gsub(ret, "%((.+)%)", "%%(%1%%)")
     -- remove capture indexes
     ret = gsub(ret, "%d%$","")
+
     -- catch all characters
-    ret = gsub(ret, "%%%a","(.+)")
+    ret = gsub(ret, "(%%%a)","%(%1+%)")
+
+    -- convert all %s to .+
+    ret = gsub(ret, "%%s%+",".+")
+
+    -- set priority to numbers over strings
+    ret = gsub(ret, "%(.%+%)%(%%d%+%)","%(.-%)%(%%d%+%)")
+
+    -- cache it
     sanitize_cache[pattern] = ret
   end
+
   return sanitize_cache[pattern]
 end
 
@@ -165,19 +175,17 @@ end
 function pfUI.api.cmatch(str, pat)
   -- read capture indexes
   local a,b,c,d,e = GetCaptures(pat)
+  local _, _, va, vb, vc, vd, ve = string.find(str, pfUI.api.SanitizePattern(pat))
 
-  for va, vb, vc, vd, ve in string.gfind(str, pfUI.api.SanitizePattern(pat)) do
-    -- initialize return values
-    local ra, rb, rc, rd, re
+  -- put entries into the proper return values
+  local ra, rb, rc, rd, re
+  ra = e == "1" and ve or d == "1" and vd or c == "1" and vc or b == "1" and vb or va
+  rb = e == "2" and ve or d == "2" and vd or c == "2" and vc or a == "2" and va or vb
+  rc = e == "3" and ve or d == "3" and vd or a == "3" and va or b == "3" and vb or vc
+  rd = e == "4" and ve or a == "4" and va or c == "4" and vc or b == "4" and vb or vd
+  re = a == "5" and va or d == "5" and vd or c == "5" and vc or b == "5" and vb or ve
 
-    -- put entries into the proper return values
-    ra = e == "1" and ve or d == "1" and vd or c == "1" and vc or b == "1" and vb or va
-    rb = e == "2" and ve or d == "2" and vd or c == "2" and vc or a == "2" and va or vb
-    rc = e == "3" and ve or d == "3" and vd or a == "3" and va or b == "3" and vb or vc
-    rd = e == "4" and ve or a == "4" and va or c == "4" and vc or b == "4" and vb or vd
-    re = a == "5" and va or d == "5" and vd or c == "5" and vc or b == "5" and vb or ve
-    return ra, rb, rc, rd, re
-  end
+  return ra, rb, rc, rd, re
 end
 
 -- [ GetItemLinkByName ]
@@ -903,4 +911,4 @@ function pfUI.api.GetColorGradient(perc)
     gradientcolors[perc].g,
     gradientcolors[perc].b,
     gradientcolors[perc].h
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end