diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index abe3ba2..96e1c52 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -221,9 +221,9 @@ useRoute("/orders/*?");
 
 // regex for matching complex patterns,
 // matches "/hello:123"
-useRoute(/[/]([a-z]+):([0-9]+)[/]?/);
+useRoute(/^[/]([a-z]+):([0-9]+)[/]?$/);
 // and with named capture groups
-useRoute(/[/](?<word>[a-z]+):(?<num>[0-9]+)[/]?/);
+useRoute(/^[/](?<word>[a-z]+):(?<num>[0-9]+)[/]?$/);
 ```
 
 The second item in the pair `params` is an object with parameters or null if there was no match. For wildcard segments the parameter name is `"*"`:
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ const User = () => {
   params[0]; // "1"
 };
 
-<Route path={/[/]user[/](?<id>[0-9]+)[/]?/} component={User}> />
+<Route path={/^[/]user[/](?<id>[0-9]+)[/]?$/} component={User}> />
 ```
 
 ### `useSearch`: query strings
@@ -442,9 +442,10 @@ If you call `useLocation()` inside the last route, it will return `/orders` and
 </Route>
 ```
 
-**Note:** The `nest` prop has no effect on regexes passed in.
-It will only determine if nested routes will match the rest of path or match against the same path.
-To make a strict path regex, use regex techniques like `[/]?$` (this matches an optional end slash and the end of the string).
+**Note:** The `nest` prop does not alter the regex passed into regex paths.
+Instead, the `nest` prop will only determine if nested routes will match against the rest of path or the same path.
+To make a strict path regex, use a regex pattern like `/^[/](your pattern)[/]?$/` (this matches an optional end slash and the end of the string).
+To make a nestable regex, use a regex pattern like `/^[/](your pattern)(?=$|[/])/` (this matches either the end of the string or a slash for future segments).
 
 ### `<Link href={path} />`
 
diff --git a/packages/wouter-preact/types/index.d.ts b/packages/wouter-preact/types/index.d.ts
index 543e5f8..f8de84f 100644
--- a/packages/wouter-preact/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/packages/wouter-preact/types/index.d.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
 
 import {
   Path,
+  PathPattern,
   BaseLocationHook,
   HookReturnValue,
   HookNavigationOptions,
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ export interface RouteComponentProps<T extends DefaultParams = DefaultParams> {
 
 export interface RouteProps<
   T extends DefaultParams | undefined = undefined,
-  RoutePath extends Path | RegExp = Path | RegExp
+  RoutePath extends PathPattern = PathPattern
 > {
   children?:
     | ((
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ export interface RouteProps<
 
 export function Route<
   T extends DefaultParams | undefined = undefined,
-  RoutePath extends Path | RegExp = Path | RegExp
+  RoutePath extends PathPattern = PathPattern
 >(props: RouteProps<T, RoutePath>): ReturnType<FunctionComponent>;
 
 /*
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ export function useRouter(): RouterObject;
 
 export function useRoute<
   T extends DefaultParams | undefined = undefined,
-  RoutePath extends Path | RegExp = Path | RegExp
+  RoutePath extends PathPattern = PathPattern
 >(
   pattern: RoutePath
 ): Match<
diff --git a/packages/wouter-preact/types/location-hook.d.ts b/packages/wouter-preact/types/location-hook.d.ts
index ab3ca90..202ccb2 100644
--- a/packages/wouter-preact/types/location-hook.d.ts
+++ b/packages/wouter-preact/types/location-hook.d.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 export type Path = string;
 
+export type PathPattern = string | RegExp;
+
 export type SearchString = string;
 
 // the base useLocation hook type. Any custom hook (including the
diff --git a/packages/wouter/src/index.js b/packages/wouter/src/index.js
index 4d63505..99262c3 100644
--- a/packages/wouter/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/wouter/src/index.js
@@ -80,12 +80,10 @@ export const useSearch = () => {
 
 const matchRoute = (parser, route, path, loose) => {
   // if the input is a regexp, skip parsing
-  const { pattern, keys } = (() => {
-    if (route instanceof RegExp) {
-      return { keys: false, pattern: route };
-    }
-    return parser(route || "*", loose);
-  })();
+  const { pattern, keys } =
+    route instanceof RegExp
+      ? { keys: false, pattern: route }
+      : parser(route || "*", loose);
 
   // array destructuring loses keys, so this is done in two steps
   const result = pattern.exec(path) || [];
diff --git a/packages/wouter/test/router.test-d.tsx b/packages/wouter/test/router.test-d.tsx
index 6604554..790f735 100644
--- a/packages/wouter/test/router.test-d.tsx
+++ b/packages/wouter/test/router.test-d.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 import { ComponentProps } from "react";
 import { it, expectTypeOf } from "vitest";
-import { Router, Route, BaseLocationHook, useRouter } from "wouter";
+import {
+  Router,
+  Route,
+  BaseLocationHook,
+  useRouter,
+  Parser,
+  Path,
+} from "wouter";
 
 it("should have at least one child", () => {
   // @ts-expect-error
@@ -64,6 +71,17 @@ it("accepts `hrefs` function for transforming href strings", () => {
   </Router>;
 });
 
+it("accepts `parser` function for generating regular expressions", () => {
+  const parser: Parser = (path: Path, loose?: boolean) => {
+    return {
+      pattern: new RegExp(`^${path}${loose === true ? "(?=$|[/])" : "[/]$"}`),
+      keys: [],
+    };
+  };
+
+  <Router parser={parser}>this is a valid router</Router>;
+});
+
 it("does not accept other props", () => {
   const router = useRouter();
 
diff --git a/packages/wouter/types/index.d.ts b/packages/wouter/types/index.d.ts
index d66ed92..c9c0faf 100644
--- a/packages/wouter/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/packages/wouter/types/index.d.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
 
 import {
   Path,
+  PathPattern,
   BaseLocationHook,
   HookReturnValue,
   HookNavigationOptions,
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ export interface RouteComponentProps<T extends DefaultParams = DefaultParams> {
 
 export interface RouteProps<
   T extends DefaultParams | undefined = undefined,
-  RoutePath extends Path | RegExp = Path | RegExp
+  RoutePath extends PathPattern = PathPattern
 > {
   children?:
     | ((
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ export interface RouteProps<
 
 export function Route<
   T extends DefaultParams | undefined = undefined,
-  RoutePath extends Path | RegExp = Path | RegExp
+  RoutePath extends PathPattern = PathPattern
 >(props: RouteProps<T, RoutePath>): ReturnType<FunctionComponent>;
 
 /*
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ export function useRouter(): RouterObject;
 
 export function useRoute<
   T extends DefaultParams | undefined = undefined,
-  RoutePath extends Path | RegExp = Path | RegExp
+  RoutePath extends PathPattern = PathPattern
 >(
   pattern: RoutePath
 ): Match<
diff --git a/packages/wouter/types/location-hook.d.ts b/packages/wouter/types/location-hook.d.ts
index 9bcfc3c..0d1aac1 100644
--- a/packages/wouter/types/location-hook.d.ts
+++ b/packages/wouter/types/location-hook.d.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 export type Path = string;
 
+export type PathPattern = string | RegExp;
+
 export type SearchString = string;
 
 // the base useLocation hook type. Any custom hook (including the