diff --git a/modules/roll.lua b/modules/roll.lua
index 5b6ee8ce..e11bf8a1 100644
--- a/modules/roll.lua
+++ b/modules/roll.lua
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@ pfUI:RegisterModule("roll", "vanilla:tbc", function ()
   pfUI.roll = CreateFrame("Frame", "pfLootRoll", UIParent)
   pfUI.roll.frames = {}
 
-  pfUI.roll.LOOT_ROLL_GREED = string.gsub(string.gsub(LOOT_ROLL_GREED, "%%s|Hitem:%%d:%%d:%%d:%%d|h%[%%s%]|h%%s", "(.+)"), "%%s", "(.+)")
-  pfUI.roll.LOOT_ROLL_NEED = string.gsub(string.gsub(LOOT_ROLL_NEED, "%%s|Hitem:%%d:%%d:%%d:%%d|h%[%%s%]|h%%s", "(.+)"), "%%s", "(.+)")
-  pfUI.roll.LOOT_ROLL_PASSED = string.gsub(string.gsub(LOOT_ROLL_PASSED, "%%s|Hitem:%%d:%%d:%%d:%%d|h%[%%s%]|h%%s", "(.+)"), "%%s", "(.+)")
+  -- squash vanilla item placeholders
+  local LOOT_ROLL_GREED = string.gsub(LOOT_ROLL_GREED, "%%s|Hitem:%%d:%%d:%%d:%%d|h%[%%s%]|h%%s", "%%s")
+  local LOOT_ROLL_NEED = string.gsub(LOOT_ROLL_NEED, "%%s|Hitem:%%d:%%d:%%d:%%d|h%[%%s%]|h%%s", "%%s")
+  local LOOT_ROLL_PASSED = string.gsub(LOOT_ROLL_PASSED, "%%s|Hitem:%%d:%%d:%%d:%%d|h%[%%s%]|h%%s", "%%s")
 
-  local _, _, everyone, _ = strfind(LOOT_ROLL_ALL_PASSED, pfUI.roll.LOOT_ROLL_PASSED);
+  -- try to detect the everyone string
+  local _, _, everyone, _ = strfind(LOOT_ROLL_ALL_PASSED, LOOT_ROLL_PASSED);
   pfUI.roll.blacklist = { YOU, everyone }
 
   pfUI.roll.cache = {}
@@ -14,19 +16,19 @@ pfUI:RegisterModule("roll", "vanilla:tbc", function ()
   pfUI.roll.scan = CreateFrame("Frame", "pfLootRollMonitor", UIParent)
   pfUI.roll.scan:RegisterEvent("CHAT_MSG_LOOT")
   pfUI.roll.scan:SetScript("OnEvent", function()
-    local _, _, player, item = strfind(arg1, pfUI.roll.LOOT_ROLL_GREED);
+    local player, item = cmatch(arg1, LOOT_ROLL_GREED);
     if player and item then
       pfUI.roll:AddCache(item, player, "GREED")
       return
     end
 
-    local _, _, player, item = strfind(arg1, pfUI.roll.LOOT_ROLL_NEED);
+    local player, item = cmatch(arg1, LOOT_ROLL_NEED);
     if player and item then
       pfUI.roll:AddCache(item, player, "NEED")
       return
     end
 
-    local _, _, player, item = strfind(arg1, pfUI.roll.LOOT_ROLL_PASSED);
+    local player, item = cmatch(arg1, LOOT_ROLL_PASSED);
     if player and item then
       pfUI.roll:AddCache(item, player, "PASS")
       return