diff --git a/tasks/tmpreaper.yml b/tasks/tmpreaper.yml
index ccda12c..207e8ea 100644
--- a/tasks/tmpreaper.yml
+++ b/tasks/tmpreaper.yml
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@
   - name: Change the date check criteria from ctime to mtime
     ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
       path: /etc/cron.daily/tmpreaper
-      regexp: "^  --ctime \"
-      line: "^  --mtime \"
+      regexp: "^  --ctime \\"
+      line: "  --mtime \\"
     when: not mpreaper_use_ctime
 
   - name: Install the tmpreaper configuration