diff --git a/modules/PathUtils.js b/modules/PathUtils.js
index ffa394daa..e5abec7d2 100644
--- a/modules/PathUtils.js
+++ b/modules/PathUtils.js
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ export function stripLeadingSlash(path) {
 }
 
 export function hasBasename(path, prefix) {
-  return new RegExp('^' + prefix + '(\\/|\\?|#|$)', 'i').test(path);
+  return (
+    path.toLowerCase().indexOf(prefix.toLowerCase()) === 0 &&
+    '/?#'.indexOf(path.charAt(prefix.length)) !== -1
+  );
 }
 
 export function stripBasename(path, prefix) {
diff --git a/modules/__tests__/HashHistory-test.js b/modules/__tests__/HashHistory-test.js
index 725fd766f..07f491c29 100644
--- a/modules/__tests__/HashHistory-test.js
+++ b/modules/__tests__/HashHistory-test.js
@@ -161,9 +161,7 @@ describe('a hash history', () => {
 
     let history;
     beforeEach(() => {
-      history = createHistory({
-        getUserConfirmation
-      });
+      history = createHistory({ getUserConfirmation });
     });
 
     it('receives the next location and action as arguments', done => {
@@ -184,9 +182,7 @@ describe('a hash history', () => {
   describe('"hashbang" hash path coding', () => {
     let history;
     beforeEach(() => {
-      history = createHistory({
-        hashType: 'hashbang'
-      });
+      history = createHistory({ hashType: 'hashbang' });
     });
 
     it('properly encodes and decodes window.location.hash', done => {
@@ -197,9 +193,7 @@ describe('a hash history', () => {
   describe('"noslash" hash path coding', () => {
     let history;
     beforeEach(() => {
-      history = createHistory({
-        hashType: 'noslash'
-      });
+      history = createHistory({ hashType: 'noslash' });
     });
 
     it('properly encodes and decodes window.location.hash', done => {
@@ -210,9 +204,7 @@ describe('a hash history', () => {
   describe('"slash" hash path coding', () => {
     let history;
     beforeEach(() => {
-      history = createHistory({
-        hashType: 'slash'
-      });
+      history = createHistory({ hashType: 'slash' });
     });
 
     it('properly encodes and decodes window.location.hash', done => {
@@ -256,5 +248,11 @@ describe('a hash history', () => {
       const history = createHistory({ basename: '/prefix' });
       expect(history.location.pathname).toEqual('/');
     });
+
+    it('allows URL with regex special characters', () => {
+      window.location.hash = '/prefix$special/hello';
+      const history = createHistory({ basename: '/prefix$special' });
+      expect(history.location.pathname).toEqual('/hello');
+    });
   });
 });