diff --git a/rule/engine_regexp.go b/rule/engine_regexp.go
index 9635249c5f..65a68f240a 100644
--- a/rule/engine_regexp.go
+++ b/rule/engine_regexp.go
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@
 package rule
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"hash/crc64"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 
 	"github.com/dlclark/regexp2"
 
@@ -23,7 +25,17 @@ func (re *regexpMatchingEngine) compile(pattern string) error {
 		re.table = crc64.MakeTable(polynomial)
 	}
 	if checksum := crc64.Checksum([]byte(pattern), re.table); checksum != re.checksum {
-		compiled, err := compiler.CompileRegex(pattern, '<', '>')
+		startDelim := byte('<')
+		endDelim := byte('>')
+		if strings.Contains(pattern, "(?>") || strings.Contains(pattern, "(?<") {
+			if strings.ContainsRune(pattern, '{') && strings.ContainsRune(pattern, '}') {
+				startDelim = byte('{')
+				endDelim = byte('}')
+			} else {
+				return errors.Errorf("attempted to use regex 'possessive match' or regex 'lookbehind' without changing delimiters from '<...>' to '{...}' in: %s", pattern)
+			}
+		}
+		compiled, err := compiler.CompileRegex(pattern, startDelim, endDelim)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/rule/engine_regexp_test.go b/rule/engine_regexp_test.go
index 0b3e3985e9..ad65536fcf 100644
--- a/rule/engine_regexp_test.go
+++ b/rule/engine_regexp_test.go
@@ -29,6 +29,24 @@ func TestFindStringSubmatch(t *testing.T) {
 			want:    nil,
 			wantErr: true,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "bad lookbehind (wrong delimiters)",
+			args: args{
+				pattern:      `urn:foo:<(?<=foo:)foobar>`,
+				matchAgainst: "urn:foo:foobar",
+			},
+			want:    nil,
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "bad possessive (wrong delimiters)",
+			args: args{
+				pattern:      `urn:foo:<(?>=foo:)foobar>`,
+				matchAgainst: "urn:foo:foobar",
+			},
+			want:    nil,
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "one group",
 			args: args{
@@ -56,6 +74,33 @@ func TestFindStringSubmatch(t *testing.T) {
 			want:    []string{"bar"},
 			wantErr: false,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "positive lookbehind (?<=foo)bar",
+			args: args{
+				pattern:      `urn:foo:{(?<=foo:)foobar}`,
+				matchAgainst: "urn:foo:foobar",
+			},
+			want:    []string{"foobar"},
+			wantErr: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "negative lookbehind (?<!boo)foobar",
+			args: args{
+				pattern:      `urn:foo:{(?<!boo:)foobar}`,
+				matchAgainst: "urn:foo:foobar",
+			},
+			want:    []string{"foobar"},
+			wantErr: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "negative lookbehind (?<!boo)foobar, not match",
+			args: args{
+				pattern:      `urn:foo:{(?<!boo:)foobar}`,
+				matchAgainst: "urn:boo:foobar",
+			},
+			want:    nil,
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {