diff --git a/lazy.go b/lazy.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..af6cc2195
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lazy.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+//go:build go1.21
+
+package validator
+
+import (
+	"regexp"
+	"sync"
+)
+
+func lazyRegexCompile(str string) func() *regexp.Regexp {
+	return sync.OnceValue(func() *regexp.Regexp {
+		return regexp.MustCompile(str)
+	})
+}
diff --git a/lazy_compat.go b/lazy_compat.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd0bf4e94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lazy_compat.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+//go:build !go1.21
+
+package validator
+
+import (
+	"regexp"
+	"sync"
+)
+
+// Copied and adapted from go1.21 stdlib's sync.OnceValue for backwards compatibility:
+// OnceValue returns a function that invokes f only once and returns the value
+// returned by f. The returned function may be called concurrently.
+//
+// If f panics, the returned function will panic with the same value on every call.
+func onceValue(f func() *regexp.Regexp) func() *regexp.Regexp {
+	var (
+		once   sync.Once
+		valid  bool
+		p      interface{}
+		result *regexp.Regexp
+	)
+	g := func() {
+		defer func() {
+			p = recover()
+			if !valid {
+				panic(p)
+			}
+		}()
+		result = f()
+		f = nil
+		valid = true
+	}
+	return func() *regexp.Regexp {
+		once.Do(g)
+		if !valid {
+			panic(p)
+		}
+		return result
+	}
+}
+
+func lazyRegexCompile(str string) func() *regexp.Regexp {
+	return onceValue(func() *regexp.Regexp {
+		return regexp.MustCompile(str)
+	})
+}
diff --git a/lazy_test.go b/lazy_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4c7c74a17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lazy_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+package validator
+
+import (
+	"regexp"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestLazyRegexCompile_Basic tests that lazyRegexCompile compiles the regex only once and caches the result.
+func TestLazyRegexCompile_Basic(t *testing.T) {
+	alphaRegexString := "^[a-zA-Z]+$"
+	alphaRegex := lazyRegexCompile(alphaRegexString)
+
+	callCount := 0
+	originalFunc := alphaRegex
+	alphaRegex = func() *regexp.Regexp {
+		callCount++
+		return originalFunc()
+	}
+
+	// Call the function multiple times
+	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
+		result := alphaRegex()
+		if result == nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected non-nil result")
+		}
+		if !result.MatchString("test") {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected regex to match 'test'")
+		}
+	}
+
+	if callCount != 10 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected call count to be 10, got %d", callCount)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestLazyRegexCompile_Concurrent tests that lazyRegexCompile works correctly when called concurrently.
+func TestLazyRegexCompile_Concurrent(t *testing.T) {
+	alphaRegexString := "^[a-zA-Z]+$"
+	alphaRegex := lazyRegexCompile(alphaRegexString)
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	const numGoroutines = 100
+
+	// Use a map to ensure all results point to the same instance
+	results := make(map[*regexp.Regexp]bool)
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+
+	// Call the function concurrently
+	for i := 0; i < numGoroutines; i++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			result := alphaRegex()
+			if result == nil {
+				t.Errorf("Expected non-nil result")
+			}
+			mu.Lock()
+			results[result] = true
+			mu.Unlock()
+		}()
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	if len(results) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected one unique regex instance, got %d", len(results))
+	}
+}
+
+// TestLazyRegexCompile_Panic tests that if the regex compilation panics, the panic value is propagated consistently.
+func TestLazyRegexCompile_Panic(t *testing.T) {
+	faultyRegexString := "[a-z"
+	alphaRegex := lazyRegexCompile(faultyRegexString)
+
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r == nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected a panic, but none occurred")
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// Call the function, which should panic
+	alphaRegex()
+}
diff --git a/regexes.go b/regexes.go
index 7e1dd5a03..df0cfde71 100644
--- a/regexes.go
+++ b/regexes.go
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 package validator
 
-import (
-	"regexp"
-	"sync"
-)
-
 const (
 	alphaRegexString                 = "^[a-zA-Z]+$"
 	alphaNumericRegexString          = "^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$"
@@ -79,17 +74,6 @@ const (
 	spicedbTypeRegexString           = "^([a-z][a-z0-9_]{1,61}[a-z0-9]/)?[a-z][a-z0-9_]{1,62}[a-z0-9]$"
 )
 
-func lazyRegexCompile(str string) func() *regexp.Regexp {
-	var regex *regexp.Regexp
-	var once sync.Once
-	return func() *regexp.Regexp {
-		once.Do(func() {
-			regex = regexp.MustCompile(str)
-		})
-		return regex
-	}
-}
-
 var (
 	alphaRegex                 = lazyRegexCompile(alphaRegexString)
 	alphaNumericRegex          = lazyRegexCompile(alphaNumericRegexString)