--- perl_matcher_common.hpp	2007-11-14 15:49:11.000000000 -0800
+++ perl_matcher_common.hpp.original	2007-11-14 10:55:42.000000000 -0800
@@ -532,23 +532,25 @@
 template <class BidiIterator, class Allocator, class traits>
 bool perl_matcher<BidiIterator, Allocator, traits>::match_within_word()
 {
-   bool b;
    if(position == last)
       return false;
-
-   b = traits_inst.isctype(*position, m_word_mask);
-
-   if((position == backstop) && ((m_match_flags & match_prev_avail) == 0)) 
-      return false;
-   --position;
-   b ^= traits_inst.isctype(*position, m_word_mask);
-   b = !b;
-   ++position;
-
-   if(b)
+   // both prev and this character must be m_word_mask:
+   if(traits_inst.isctype(*position, m_word_mask))
    {
-      pstate = pstate->next.p;
-      return true;
+      bool b;
+      if((position == backstop) && ((m_match_flags & match_prev_avail) == 0)) 
+         return false;
+      else
+      {
+         --position;
+         b = traits_inst.isctype(*position, m_word_mask);
+         ++position;
+      }
+      if(b)
+      {
+         pstate = pstate->next.p;
+         return true;
+      }
    }
    return false;
 }