diff --git a/lib/grit/actor.rb b/lib/grit/actor.rb
index 6ff418fd..cd985ca6 100644
--- a/lib/grit/actor.rb
+++ b/lib/grit/actor.rb
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ def initialize(name, email)
     # Returns Git::Actor.
     def self.from_string(str)
       case str
-        when /<.+>/
-          m, name, email = *str.match(/(.*) <(.+?)>/)
+        when /<.*>/
+          m, name, email = *str.match(/(.*) <(.*?)>/)
           return self.new(name, email)
         else
           return self.new(str, nil)
diff --git a/lib/grit/git-ruby/git_object.rb b/lib/grit/git-ruby/git_object.rb
index aa743276..bc6142fc 100644
--- a/lib/grit/git-ruby/git_object.rb
+++ b/lib/grit/git-ruby/git_object.rb
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ def initialize(str)
       m = /^(.*?) <(.*)> (\d+) ([+-])0*(\d+?)$/.match(str)
       if !m
         case str
-        when /<.+>/
-          m, @name, @email = *str.match(/(.*) <(.+?)>/)
+        when /<.*>/
+          m, @name, @email = *str.match(/(.*) <(.*?)>/)
         else
           @name = str
         end