diff --git a/lib/regex/regex_test.ww b/lib/regex/regex_test.ww
index b08f4281..cd31de06 100644
--- a/lib/regex/regex_test.ww
+++ b/lib/regex/regex_test.ww
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ package regex;
 
 import regex;
 import os;
+import strings;
 
 let signalled: i32 = 0;
 fn fail() void = { os.exit(signalled + 10); };
@@ -244,12 +245,30 @@ fn fail() void = { os.exit(signalled + 10); };
 	};
 };
 
-// Any deferred metacharacter is a LOUD error — pins the fold-2a
-// boundary so the fold that ports '*' consciously deletes this row.
+// Every deferred metacharacter is a LOUD error carrying the exact
+// fold-boundary text — falling through to the literal default would
+// silently compile a wrong program, and any OTHER error text would
+// mean an arm was half-ported. One pattern per deferred arm so the
+// fold that ports an arm consciously deletes its row. '^' leads its
+// pattern: the r_idx==0 skip gate (regex.ha:261) must compose with
+// the loud arm, not bypass it.
 @test fn compile_metachar_loud() void = {
-	match (regex.compile("a*")) {
-	case let e: regex.error => { if ((e: str).len == 0) { fail(); }; };
-	case => fail();
+	let pats: [11]str = [
+		"a\\", "^a", "a$", "a[", "a(", "a)",
+		"a|", "a{", "a?", "a*", "a+",
+	];
+	let i: i32 = 0;
+	for (i < len(pats)) {
+		match (regex.compile(pats[i])) {
+		case let e: regex.error => {
+			if (strings.compare((e: str),
+				"regex: metacharacter not yet ported") != 0) {
+				fail();
+			};
+		};
+		case => fail();
+		};
+		i += 1;
 	};
 };