diff --git a/bin/expr/expr.y b/bin/expr/expr.y
index 89f8cced337c..30704ed2818a 100644
--- a/bin/expr/expr.y
+++ b/bin/expr/expr.y
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ op_colon(struct val *a, struct val *b)
 			v = make_str(a->u.s + rm[1].rm_so);
 
 		} else
-			v = make_integer((intmax_t)(rm[0].rm_eo - rm[0].rm_so));
+			v = make_integer((intmax_t)(rm[0].rm_eo));
 	else
 		if (rp.re_nsub == 0)
 			v = make_integer((intmax_t)0);