diff --git a/base/regex.jl b/base/regex.jl
index 3eed29d42a3e0..709099640bfd9 100644
--- a/base/regex.jl
+++ b/base/regex.jl
@@ -130,12 +130,14 @@ function split(s::String, regex::Regex, include_empty::Bool, limit::Integer)
 end
 
 split(s::String, x::String, incl::Bool, limit::Integer) =
+    strwidth(x) == 1 ? split(s, x[1], incl, limit) :
     split(s, Regex(strcat("\\Q",x)), incl, limit)
 
 split(s::String, regex::Regex, include_empty::Bool) =
     split(s, regex, include_empty, 0)
 
 split(s::String, x::String, incl::Bool) =
+    strwidth(x) == 1 ? split(s, x[1], incl) :
     split(s, Regex(strcat("\\Q",x)), incl)
 
 replace(s::String, regex::Regex, repl::String, limit::Integer) =
@@ -145,7 +147,9 @@ replace(s::String, regex::Regex, repl::String) =
     join(split(s, regex, true, 0), repl)
 
 replace(s::String, x::String, repl::String, limit::Integer) =
+    strwidth(x) == 1 ? replace(s, x[1], repl, limit) :
     replace(s, Regex(strcat("\\Q",x)), repl, limit)
 
 replace(s::String, x::String, repl::String) =
+    strwidth(x) == 1 ? replace(s, x[1], repl) :
     replace(s, Regex(strcat("\\Q",x)), repl)