diff --git a/libbeat/filter/condition.go b/libbeat/filter/condition.go
index 76275aa45d3..bb51980b2b8 100644
--- a/libbeat/filter/condition.go
+++ b/libbeat/filter/condition.go
@@ -62,13 +62,8 @@ func (c *Condition) AddContains(contains map[string]string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (c *Condition) AddRegexp(r map[string]string) error {
-
-	for field, value := range r {
-		reg, err := regexp.CompilePOSIX(value)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+func (c *Condition) AddRegexp(r map[string]*regexp.Regexp) error {
+	for field, reg := range r {
 		c.Regexp[field] = reg
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/libbeat/filter/condition_test.go b/libbeat/filter/condition_test.go
index 58cce23fa45..793dfe5faf3 100644
--- a/libbeat/filter/condition_test.go
+++ b/libbeat/filter/condition_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package filter
 
 import (
+	"regexp"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/common"
@@ -126,8 +127,8 @@ func TestRegexpCondition(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// first simple condition
 	config1 := ConditionConfig{
-		Regexp: map[string]string{
-			"source": "apache2/error.*",
+		Regexp: map[string]*regexp.Regexp{
+			"source": regexp.MustCompile("apache2/error.*"),
 		},
 	}
 	cond1, err := NewCondition(config1)
@@ -135,8 +136,8 @@ func TestRegexpCondition(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// second simple condition
 	config2 := ConditionConfig{
-		Regexp: map[string]string{
-			"source": "apache2/access.*",
+		Regexp: map[string]*regexp.Regexp{
+			"source": regexp.MustCompile("apache2/access.*"),
 		},
 	}
 	cond2, err := NewCondition(config2)
@@ -144,9 +145,9 @@ func TestRegexpCondition(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// third complex condition
 	config3 := ConditionConfig{
-		Regexp: map[string]string{
-			"source":  "apache2/error.*",
-			"message": "[client 1.2.3.4]",
+		Regexp: map[string]*regexp.Regexp{
+			"source":  regexp.MustCompile("apache2/error.*"),
+			"message": regexp.MustCompile("[client 1.2.3.4]"),
 		},
 	}
 	cond3, err := NewCondition(config3)
@@ -217,7 +218,7 @@ func TestRangeCondition(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(t, err == nil)
 
 	// float condition
-	var v05 float64 = 0.5
+	var v05 = 0.5
 	config4 := ConditionConfig{
 		Range: map[string]RangeValue{
 			"proc.cpu.total_p": RangeValue{Gte: &v05},
diff --git a/libbeat/filter/config.go b/libbeat/filter/config.go
index 72d44aabe64..dcdbd7c75fb 100644
--- a/libbeat/filter/config.go
+++ b/libbeat/filter/config.go
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 package filter
 
+import "regexp"
+
 type ConditionConfig struct {
-	Equals   map[string]string     `config:"equals"`
-	Contains map[string]string     `config:"contains"`
-	Regexp   map[string]string     `config:"regexp"`
-	Range    map[string]RangeValue `config:"range"`
+	Equals   map[string]string         `config:"equals"`
+	Contains map[string]string         `config:"contains"`
+	Regexp   map[string]*regexp.Regexp `config:"regexp"`
+	Range    map[string]RangeValue     `config:"range"`
 }
 
 type RangeValue struct {
diff --git a/libbeat/filter/filter_test.go b/libbeat/filter/filter_test.go
index b2a5cb4eb79..92247284ad9 100644
--- a/libbeat/filter/filter_test.go
+++ b/libbeat/filter/filter_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package filter
 
 import (
+	"regexp"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/common"
@@ -83,8 +84,8 @@ func TestIncludeFields1(t *testing.T) {
 
 	rule, err := NewIncludeFields(IncludeFieldsConfig{
 		Fields: []string{"proc.cpu.total_ddd"},
-		ConditionConfig: ConditionConfig{Regexp: map[string]string{
-			"proc.cmdline": "launchd",
+		ConditionConfig: ConditionConfig{Regexp: map[string]*regexp.Regexp{
+			"proc.cmdline": regexp.MustCompile("launchd"),
 		}},
 	})
 	assert.True(t, err == nil)