diff --git a/src/rebar_base_compiler.erl b/src/rebar_base_compiler.erl
index 5d5405704..bfd79a5bb 100644
--- a/src/rebar_base_compiler.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_base_compiler.erl
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ run(Config, FirstFiles, SourceDir, SourceExt, TargetDir, TargetExt,
 run(Config, FirstFiles, SourceDir, SourceExt, TargetDir, TargetExt,
     Compile3Fn, Opts) ->
     %% Convert simple extension to proper regex
-    SourceExtRe = "^[^._].*\\" ++ SourceExt ++ [$$],
+    SourceExtRe = "^(?!._).*\\" ++ SourceExt ++ [$$],
 
     Recursive = proplists:get_value(recursive, Opts, true),
     %% Find all possible source files
diff --git a/src/rebar_erlc_compiler.erl b/src/rebar_erlc_compiler.erl
index 325bb4f0d..d4d257fda 100644
--- a/src/rebar_erlc_compiler.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_erlc_compiler.erl
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 -type compile_opt() :: {recursive, boolean()}.
 
 -define(DEFAULT_OUTDIR, "ebin").
--define(RE_PREFIX, "^[^._]").
+-define(RE_PREFIX, "^(?!._)").
 
 %% ===================================================================
 %% Public API
diff --git a/src/rebar_prv_eunit.erl b/src/rebar_prv_eunit.erl
index 0908ec95f..6fdf33e7d 100644
--- a/src/rebar_prv_eunit.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_prv_eunit.erl
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 %% we need to modify app_info state before compile
 -define(DEPS, [lock]).
 
--define(DEFAULT_TEST_REGEX, "^[^._].*\\.erl\$").
+-define(DEFAULT_TEST_REGEX, "^(?!._).*\\.erl\$").
 
 %% ===================================================================
 %% Public API
diff --git a/src/rebar_templater.erl b/src/rebar_templater.erl
index 299b957c9..7e0aae446 100644
--- a/src/rebar_templater.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_templater.erl
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
 -include("rebar.hrl").
 
--define(TEMPLATE_RE, "^[^._].*\\.template\$").
+-define(TEMPLATE_RE, "^(?!._).*\\.template\$").
 
 %% ===================================================================
 %% Public API