diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
index 07fc808d3..78079cad2 100755
--- a/release.sh
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ make setup dist
 git add dist/
 
 # Edit package.json and bower.json to the right version
-sed -i 's|"version": "[^"]\+",|"version": "'$VERSION'",|' package.json
-sed -i 's|"version": "[^"]\+",|"version": "'$VERSION'",|' bower.json
+sed -i "" -E 's|"version": "[^"]+",|"version": "'$VERSION'",|' package.json
+sed -i "" -E 's|"version": "[^"]+",|"version": "'$VERSION'",|' bower.json
 
 # Make the commit and tag, and push them.
 git add package.json bower.json
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ if [ ! -z "$NEXT_VERSION" ]; then
     git checkout master
 
     # Edit package.json and bower.json to the right version
-    sed -i 's|"version": "[^"]\+",|"version": "'$NEXT_VERSION'-pre",|' package.json
-    sed -i 's|"version": "[^"]\+",|"version": "'$NEXT_VERSION'-pre",|' bower.json
+    sed -i "" -E 's|"version": "[^"]+",|"version": "'$NEXT_VERSION'-pre",|' package.json
+    sed -i "" -E 's|"version": "[^"]+",|"version": "'$NEXT_VERSION'-pre",|' bower.json
 
     git add package.json bower.json
     git commit -m "Bump master to v$NEXT_VERSION-pre"