diff --git a/testUpdateHostsFile.py b/testUpdateHostsFile.py
index 12fe695fb96..7b3ff3a49f6 100644
--- a/testUpdateHostsFile.py
+++ b/testUpdateHostsFile.py
@@ -842,6 +842,7 @@ def test_no_match(self):
             "128.0.0.1",
             "0.0.0 google",
             "0.1.2.3.4 foo/bar",
+            "0.0.0.0 https"
         ]:
             self.assertEqual(normalize_rule(rule, **kwargs), (None, None))
 
diff --git a/updateHostsFile.py b/updateHostsFile.py
index 5c8271492cf..986f2023a37 100755
--- a/updateHostsFile.py
+++ b/updateHostsFile.py
@@ -1061,7 +1061,7 @@ def normalize_response(
     """
     first try: IP followed by domain
     """
-    regex = r"^\s*(\d{1,3}\.){3}\d{1,3}\s+([\w\.-]+[a-zA-Z])(.*)"
+    regex = r"^\s*(\d{1,3}\.){3}\d{1,3}\s+((?:\w+\.)+[a-zA-Z]+)(.*)"
     result = re.search(regex, rule)
 
     if result:
@@ -1090,7 +1090,7 @@ def normalize_response(
     """
     # deny any potential IPv6 address here.
     if ":" not in rule:
-        regex = r"^\s*([\w\.-]+[a-zA-Z])(.*)"
+        regex = r"^\s*((?:\w+\.)+[a-zA-Z]+)(.*)"
         result = re.search(regex, rule)
 
         if result: