diff --git i/lisp/align.el w/lisp/align.el
index 0917e7d..ea36302 100644
--- i/lisp/align.el
+++ w/lisp/align.el
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ region, call `align-regexp' and type in that regular expression."
     (list (region-beginning) (region-end))
     (if current-prefix-arg
 	(list (read-string "Complex align using regexp: "
-			   "\\(\\s-*\\)")
+			   "\\(\\s-+\\)")
 	      (string-to-number
 	       (read-string
 		"Parenthesis group to modify (justify if negative): " "1"))
@@ -941,7 +941,7 @@ region, call `align-regexp' and type in that regular expression."
 	       (read-string "Amount of spacing (or column if negative): "
 			    (number-to-string align-default-spacing)))
 	      (y-or-n-p "Repeat throughout line? "))
-      (list (concat "\\(\\s-*\\)"
+      (list (concat "\\(\\s-+\\)"
 		    (read-string "Align regexp: "))
 	    1 align-default-spacing nil))))
   (let ((rule