diff --git a/src/regex_impl.cc b/src/regex_impl.cc
index 3dc8bd6b..256afcc1 100644
--- a/src/regex_impl.cc
+++ b/src/regex_impl.cc
@@ -757,19 +757,19 @@ private:
             }
             case ParsedRegex::Alternation:
             {
-                auto split_pos = m_program.instructions.size();
                 for (auto child : Children<>{m_parsed_regex, index})
                 {
                     if (child != index+1)
                         push_inst(CompiledRegex::Split);
                 }
+                auto split_pos = m_program.instructions.size();
 
                 const auto end = node.children_end;
                 for (auto child : Children<>{m_parsed_regex, index})
                 {
                     auto node = compile_node<direction>(child);
                     if (child != index+1)
-                        m_program.instructions[split_pos++].param.split = CompiledRegex::Param::Split{.target = node, .prioritize_parent = true};
+                        m_program.instructions[--split_pos].param.split = CompiledRegex::Param::Split{.target = node, .prioritize_parent = true};
                     if (get_node(child).children_end != end)
                     {
                         auto jump = push_inst(CompiledRegex::Jump);
@@ -1350,7 +1350,11 @@ auto test_regex = UnitTest{[]{
         kak_assert(StringView{vm.captures()[0], vm.captures()[1]} == "bar");
         kak_assert(not vm.exec("bar"));
     }
-
+    {
+        TestVM<RegexMode::Forward | RegexMode::Search> vm{R"(foobaz|foo|foobar)"};
+        kak_assert(vm.exec("foobar"));
+        kak_assert(StringView{vm.captures()[0], vm.captures()[1]} == "foo");
+    }
     {
         TestVM<RegexMode::Forward> vm{R"((fo+?).*)"};
         kak_assert(vm.exec("foooo"));
diff --git a/src/regex_impl.hh b/src/regex_impl.hh
index 0565c49c..ca859592 100644
--- a/src/regex_impl.hh
+++ b/src/regex_impl.hh
@@ -113,8 +113,6 @@ struct CompiledRegex : RefCountable, UseMemoryDomain<MemoryDomain::Regex>
     };
     static_assert(sizeof(Instruction) == 8);
 
-    static constexpr uint32_t prioritize_parent{1 << 16};
-
     explicit operator bool() const { return not instructions.empty(); }
 
     struct NamedCapture
@@ -255,7 +253,7 @@ public:
             else if (start != config.end)
             {
                 const unsigned char c = forward ? *start : *utf8::previous(start, config.end);
-                 if (not start_desc->map[(c < StartDesc::count) ? c : StartDesc::other])
+                if (not start_desc->map[(c < StartDesc::count) ? c : StartDesc::other])
                     return false;
             }
         }
diff --git a/test/regression/4519-regex-alternation-priority/cmd b/test/regression/4519-regex-alternation-priority/cmd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c9327054
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/4519-regex-alternation-priority/cmd
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+%sfoobaz|foo|foobar<ret>
diff --git a/test/regression/4519-regex-alternation-priority/in b/test/regression/4519-regex-alternation-priority/in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..323fae03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/4519-regex-alternation-priority/in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+foobar
diff --git a/test/regression/4519-regex-alternation-priority/kak_selections b/test/regression/4519-regex-alternation-priority/kak_selections
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..257cc564
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/4519-regex-alternation-priority/kak_selections
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+foo