diff --git a/rc/detection/modeline.kak b/rc/detection/modeline.kak
index 1a343448..00d2fcdc 100644
--- a/rc/detection/modeline.kak
+++ b/rc/detection/modeline.kak
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ define-command -hidden modeline-parse-impl %{
 #   [text]{white}{vi:|vim:|Vim:|ex:}[white]se[t] {options}:[text]
 define-command modeline-parse -docstring "Read and interpret vi-format modelines at the beginning/end of the buffer" %{
     try %{ evaluate-commands -draft %{
-        execute-keys <percent> s\A|.\z<ret> %opt{modelines}k <a-x> %opt{modelines}X \
+        execute-keys <percent> "s(?S)\A(.+\n){,%opt{modelines}}|(.+\n){,%opt{modelines}}\z<ret>" \
              s^\S*?\s+?(vim?|kak(oune)?):\s?[^\n]+<ret> <a-x>
         evaluate-commands -draft -itersel modeline-parse-impl
     } }
diff --git a/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/cmd b/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/cmd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..344c7543
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/cmd
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+:modeline-parse<ret>
+%
+:exec c %opt{tabstop}<ret>
diff --git a/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/in b/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..58f3ec24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/in
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# kak:tabstop=1:
+# kak:tabstop=2:
+# kak:tabstop=3:
+foo
+foo
+foo
+foo
diff --git a/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/out b/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d00491fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/out
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1
diff --git a/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/rc b/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/rc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..98e55e02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/3733-modeline-parsing-off-by-one-line/rc
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+source "%val{runtime}/rc/detection/modeline.kak"
+set-option global modelines 1