diff --git a/detekt-api/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/SplitPattern.kt b/detekt-api/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/SplitPattern.kt
index 1450f2a1164..e76bf39d35f 100644
--- a/detekt-api/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/SplitPattern.kt
+++ b/detekt-api/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/SplitPattern.kt
@@ -82,6 +82,6 @@ fun String.simplePatternToRegex(): Regex {
     return this
         .replace(".", "\\.")
         .replace("*", ".*")
-        .replace("?", ".?")
+        .replace("?", ".")
         .toRegex()
 }
diff --git a/detekt-api/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/internal/SimpleGlob.kt b/detekt-api/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/internal/SimpleGlob.kt
deleted file mode 100644
index e8e82613def..00000000000
--- a/detekt-api/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/internal/SimpleGlob.kt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-package io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.internal
-
-/**
- * This simple globbing implementation allows users to define patterns with `?` (any single character)
- * and `*` (zero or more characters) wildcards.
- */
-class SimpleGlob private constructor(private val regex: Regex) {
-
-    fun matches(input: String) = regex.matches(input)
-
-    companion object {
-        fun of(globPattern: String): SimpleGlob {
-            val regex = globPattern
-                .replace("\\", "\\\\")
-                .replace(".", "\\.")
-                .replace("*", ".*")
-                .replace("?", ".")
-                .toRegex()
-            return SimpleGlob(regex)
-        }
-    }
-}
diff --git a/detekt-api/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/internal/SimpleGlobSpec.kt b/detekt-api/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/SimplePatternToRegexSpec.kt
similarity index 83%
rename from detekt-api/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/internal/SimpleGlobSpec.kt
rename to detekt-api/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/SimplePatternToRegexSpec.kt
index fd78c382848..a508f953f7e 100644
--- a/detekt-api/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/internal/SimpleGlobSpec.kt
+++ b/detekt-api/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/api/SimplePatternToRegexSpec.kt
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
-package io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.internal
+package io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api
 
 import org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat
 import org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatThrownBy
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Nested
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test
 
-class SimpleGlobSpec {
+internal class SimplePatternToRegexSpec {
     @Nested
     inner class `empty pattern` {
-        private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("")
+        private val subject = "".simplePatternToRegex()
 
         @Test
         fun `matches an empty string`() {
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
 
     @Nested
     inner class `blank pattern` {
-        private val subject = SimpleGlob.of(" \t")
+        private val subject = " \t".simplePatternToRegex()
 
         @Test
         fun `matches an empty string`() {
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
 
     @Nested
     inner class `Static pattern` {
-        private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("abc")
+        private val subject = "abc".simplePatternToRegex()
 
         @Test
         fun `matches the same string`() {
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
         inner class `single wildcard` {
             @Nested
             inner class `pattern with wildcard at the beginning` {
-                private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("*xyz")
+                private val subject = "*xyz".simplePatternToRegex()
 
                 @Test
                 fun `matches pattern exactly`() {
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
 
             @Nested
             inner class `Pattern with wildcard at the end` {
-                private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("xyz*")
+                private val subject = "xyz*".simplePatternToRegex()
 
                 @Test
                 fun `matches pattern exactly`() {
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
 
             @Nested
             inner class `Pattern with wildcard at the middle` {
-                private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("x*yz")
+                private val subject = "x*yz".simplePatternToRegex()
 
                 @Test
                 fun `matches pattern exactly`() {
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
 
         @Nested
         inner class `multiple wildcards` {
-            private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("x*yz*")
+            private val subject = "x*yz*".simplePatternToRegex()
 
             @Test
             fun `matches pattern`() {
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
         inner class `single wildcard` {
             @Nested
             inner class `pattern with wildcard at the beginning` {
-                private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("?xyz")
+                private val subject = "?xyz".simplePatternToRegex()
 
                 @Test
                 fun `matches with any character before`() {
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
                 }
 
                 @Test
-                fun `does not match with anything before`() {
+                fun `does not match with no character before`() {
                     val actual = subject.matches("xyz")
                     assertThat(actual).isFalse()
                 }
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
 
             @Nested
             inner class `pattern with wildcard at the end` {
-                private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("xyz?")
+                private val subject = "xyz?".simplePatternToRegex()
 
                 @Test
                 fun `matches with any character after`() {
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
                 }
 
                 @Test
-                fun `does not match with anything after`() {
+                fun `does not match with no character after`() {
                     val actual = subject.matches("xyz")
                     assertThat(actual).isFalse()
                 }
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
 
             @Nested
             inner class `pattern with wildcard at the middle` {
-                private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("x?yz")
+                private val subject = "x?yz".simplePatternToRegex()
 
                 @Test
                 fun `matches with any single character`() {
@@ -219,11 +219,11 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
 
         @Nested
         inner class `multiple wildcards` {
-            private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("x?y?z")
+            private val subject = "x?y?z".simplePatternToRegex()
 
             @Test
             fun `matches pattern`() {
-                val actual = subject.matches("x.y.z")
+                val actual = subject.matches("x.y_z")
                 assertThat(actual).isTrue()
             }
         }
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
     inner class `characters that have a special meaning in regular expression must be escaped` {
         @Nested
         inner class `Period` {
-            private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("a.b.c")
+            private val subject = "a.b.c".simplePatternToRegex()
 
             @Test
             fun `matches the same string`() {
@@ -249,20 +249,14 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
         }
 
         @Nested
-        inner class `Backslash` {
-            private val subject = SimpleGlob.of("""ab\d""")
+        inner class `character classes and quantifiers` {
+            private val subject = """ab\d{2,5}\s\wc""".simplePatternToRegex()
 
             @Test
-            fun `matches the same string`() {
-                val actual = subject.matches("""ab\d""")
+            fun `can be used`() {
+                val actual = subject.matches("""ab123 Xc""")
                 assertThat(actual).isTrue()
             }
-
-            @Test
-            fun `does not match a other string`() {
-                val actual = subject.matches("ab5")
-                assertThat(actual).isFalse()
-            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -270,7 +264,7 @@ class SimpleGlobSpec {
     inner class `invalid pattern` {
         @Test
         fun `fails during creation`() {
-            assertThatThrownBy { SimpleGlob.of("""a[b""") }
+            assertThatThrownBy { """a[b""".simplePatternToRegex() }
                 .isInstanceOf(IllegalArgumentException::class.java)
         }
     }
diff --git a/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/AvoidReferentialEquality.kt b/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/AvoidReferentialEquality.kt
index a8621914264..1b249949f4a 100644
--- a/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/AvoidReferentialEquality.kt
+++ b/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/AvoidReferentialEquality.kt
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.config
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.internal.ActiveByDefault
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.internal.Configuration
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.internal.RequiresTypeResolution
-import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.internal.SimpleGlob
+import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.simplePatternToRegex
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.rules.fqNameOrNull
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.lexer.KtTokens.EQEQEQ
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.lexer.KtTokens.EXCLEQEQEQ
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ class AvoidReferentialEquality(config: Config) : Rule(config) {
             "The types are defined by a list of simple glob patterns (supporting `*` and `?` wildcards) " +
             "that match the fully qualified type name."
     )
-    private val forbiddenTypePatterns: List<SimpleGlob> by config(
+    private val forbiddenTypePatterns: List<Regex> by config(
         listOf(
             "kotlin.String"
         )
-    ) { it.map(SimpleGlob::of) }
+    ) { it.map(String::simplePatternToRegex) }
 
     override fun visitBinaryExpression(expression: KtBinaryExpression) {
         super.visitBinaryExpression(expression)