diff --git a/autoload/easy_align.vim b/autoload/easy_align.vim
index 2e693a0..67b79ef 100644
--- a/autoload/easy_align.vim
+++ b/autoload/easy_align.vim
@@ -264,11 +264,8 @@ function! s:split_line(line, nth, modes, cycle, fc, lc, pattern, stick_to_left,
     \ strpart(getline(a:line), a:fc - 1, a:lc - a:fc + 1) :
     \ strpart(getline(a:line), a:fc - 1)
   let idx     = 0
-  " Do not allow \zs
-  " 1: whole match
-  " 2: token
-  " 3: delimiter
-  let pattern = '^\(\(.\{-}\s*\)\(' .a:pattern. '\)\s' . (a:stick_to_left ? '*' : '\{-}') . '\)'
+  let nomagic = match(a:pattern, '\\v') > match(a:pattern, '\C\\[mMV]')
+  let pattern = '^.\{-}\s*\zs\('.a:pattern.(nomagic ? ')' : '\)')
   let tokens  = []
   let delims  = []
 
@@ -277,18 +274,22 @@ function! s:split_line(line, nth, modes, cycle, fc, lc, pattern, stick_to_left,
   let token = ''
   let phantom = 0
   while 1
-    let matches = matchlist(string, pattern, idx)
+    let matchidx = match(string, pattern, idx)
     " No match
-    if empty(matches) | break | endif
+    if matchidx < 0 | break | endif
+    let matchend = matchend(string, pattern, idx)
+    let spaces = matchstr(string, '\s'.(a:stick_to_left ? '*' : '\{-}'), matchend + (matchidx == matchend))
 
-    " Match, but empty delimiter
-    if empty(matches[1])
+    " Match, but empty
+    if len(spaces) + matchend - idx == 0
       let char = strpart(string, idx, 1)
       if empty(char) | break | endif
       let [match, part, delim] = [char, char, '']
     " Match
     else
-      let [match, part, delim] = matches[1 : 3]
+      let match = strpart(string, idx, matchend - idx + len(spaces))
+      let part  = strpart(string, idx, matchidx - idx)
+      let delim = strpart(string, matchidx, matchend - matchidx)
     endif
 
     let ignorable = s:highlighted_as(a:line, idx + len(part) + a:fc, a:ignore_groups)
diff --git a/test/fixed.vader b/test/fixed.vader
index 1d004d6..ebba40f 100644
--- a/test/fixed.vader
+++ b/test/fixed.vader
@@ -212,4 +212,38 @@ Expect:
   aa  -= bb
   aaa ?= bbb
 
+* #67 \v
+Given c:
+  bzero(&servaddr, sizeof(servaddr));
+  servaddr.sin_family = AF_INET;
+  servaddr.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
+  servaddr.sin_port = htons(SERV_PORT);
+
+Execute (#67 \v breaks surrounding regex):
+  %EasyAlign/\v(\=\s)@<=</
+
+Expect:
+  bzero(&servaddr, sizeof(servaddr));
+  servaddr.sin_family =       AF_INET;
+  servaddr.sin_addr.s_addr =  htonl(INADDR_ANY);
+  servaddr.sin_port =         htons(SERV_PORT);
+
+Execute (#67 \V followed by \v shouldn't matter):
+  %EasyAlign/\v(\=\s)@<=<\V/
+
+Expect:
+  bzero(&servaddr, sizeof(servaddr));
+  servaddr.sin_family =       AF_INET;
+  servaddr.sin_addr.s_addr =  htonl(INADDR_ANY);
+  servaddr.sin_port =         htons(SERV_PORT);
+
+Execute (#67 \zs is now allowed):
+  %EasyAlign/=\zs/
+
+Expect:
+  bzero(&servaddr, sizeof(servaddr));
+  servaddr.sin_family =       AF_INET;
+  servaddr.sin_addr.s_addr =  htonl(INADDR_ANY);
+  servaddr.sin_port =         htons(SERV_PORT);
+
 Include: include/teardown.vader