diff --git a/collects/scheme/match/parse-helper.ss b/collects/scheme/match/parse-helper.ss
index d41d63bcbe..e80b4acbba 100644
--- a/collects/scheme/match/parse-helper.ss
+++ b/collects/scheme/match/parse-helper.ss
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@
          "compiler.ss"
          (only-in srfi/1 delete-duplicates))
 
-(provide ddk? parse-literal all-vars pattern-var? match:syntax-err)
-
+(provide ddk? parse-literal all-vars pattern-var? match:syntax-err
+         matchable?)
 
+(define (matchable? e)
+  (or (string? e) (bytes? e)))
 
 ;; raise an error, blaming stx
 (define (match:syntax-err stx msg)
diff --git a/collects/scheme/match/parse.ss b/collects/scheme/match/parse.ss
index a7f3e83ef0..e430aee5c2 100644
--- a/collects/scheme/match/parse.ss
+++ b/collects/scheme/match/parse.ss
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #lang scheme/base
 
-(require (for-template scheme/base)
+(require (for-template scheme/base "parse-helper.ss")
          syntax/boundmap
          syntax/stx
          scheme/struct-info
@@ -49,18 +49,18 @@
      (let ([ps (map (compose make-Not parse) (syntax->list #'(p ...)))])
        (make-And ps))]
     [(regexp r)
-     (make-And (list (make-Pred #'string?) (make-App #'(lambda (e) (regexp-match r e)) (make-Pred #'values))))]
+     (make-And (list (make-Pred #'matchable?) (make-App #'(lambda (e) (regexp-match r e)) (make-Pred #'values))))]
     [(regexp r p)
-     (make-And (list (make-Pred #'string?) (make-App #'(lambda (e) (regexp-match r e)) (parse #'p))))]
+     (make-And (list (make-Pred #'matchable?) (make-App #'(lambda (e) (regexp-match r e)) (parse #'p))))]
     [(pregexp r)
-     (make-And (list (make-Pred #'string?) (make-App (syntax/loc #'r 
+     (make-And (list (make-Pred #'matchable?) (make-App (syntax/loc #'r 
                                                        (lambda (e) (regexp-match (if (pregexp? r)
                                                                                      r
                                                                                      (pregexp r))
                                                                                  e)))
                                                      (make-Pred #'values))))]
     [(pregexp r p)
-     (make-And (list (make-Pred #'string?) (make-App (syntax/loc #'r 
+     (make-And (list (make-Pred #'matchable?) (make-App (syntax/loc #'r 
                                                        (lambda (e) (regexp-match (if (pregexp? r)
                                                                                      r
                                                                                      (pregexp r))