diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/expression/statement_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/expression/statement_spec.rb
index 1ceb373e19c..11e73294f18 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/expression/statement_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/expression/statement_spec.rb
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ describe Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Expression::Statement do
       "$PRESENT_VARIABLE =~ /^var.*/"      | false
       "$EMPTY_VARIABLE =~ /var.*/"         | false
       "$UNDEFINED_VARIABLE =~ /var.*/"     | false
-      "$PRESENT_VARIABLE =~ /(?i)VAR.*/"   | true
+      "$PRESENT_VARIABLE =~ /VAR.*/i"      | true
     end
 
     with_them do