diff --git a/lex.py b/lex.py
index fcc30d5..6f54733 100755
--- a/lex.py
+++ b/lex.py
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ import curses, re
 import regex, util
 from point import Point
 
+def escape(s):
+    return re.escape(s)
+
 class Token(object):
     def __init__(self, name, rule, y, x, s, color=None, parent=None, matchd={}, link=None):
         self.name   = name
@@ -199,6 +202,8 @@ class RegionRule(Rule):
         # ok, so since we had a match, we need to create our start token, who
         # will be the ancestor to all other tokens matched in this region
         matchd = m.groupdict()
+        for (key, val) in matchd.iteritems():
+            matchd[key] = escape(val)
         parent = self.make_token(lexer, m.group(0), 'start', parent, matchd, 'start')
         yield parent
 
diff --git a/mode/perl.py b/mode/perl.py
index e6a5320..f2cc18c 100644
--- a/mode/perl.py
+++ b/mode/perl.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class PerlGrammar(Grammar):
         PatternRule(r'deref', r"[@%\$&\*](?={)"),
 
         # match regexes
-        RegionRule(r'match', r'(?:(?<==~)|(?<=!~)|(?<=\()|(?<=split)) *(?P<delim>/)', StringGrammar, r'/[a-z]*'),
+        RegionRule(r'match', r'(?:(?<==~)|(?<=!~)|(?<=\()|(?<=split)|(?<=if)|(?<=unless)|(?<=while)|(?<=until)) *(?P<delim>/)', StringGrammar, r'/[a-z]*'),
         RegionRule(r'match', r'm *(?P<delim>[^ #a-zA-Z0-9_])', StringGrammar, r'%(delim)s[a-z]*'),
         RegionRule(r'match', r'm(?P<delim>#)', StringGrammar, r'#[a-z]*'),