diff --git a/vcsh b/vcsh
index e019a1b47dc4f00c4fb830d8b673258e19c17c7a..fc63f3875e9b84bc4a999c09e9bf6afe70e6306c 100755
--- a/vcsh
+++ b/vcsh
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ clone() {
   You should add files to your new repository."
 		exit
 	fi
-	GIT_VERSION_MAJOR=$(git --version | sed -n 's/.* \([0-9]\+\)\..*/\1/p' )
+	GIT_VERSION_MAJOR=$(git --version | sed -E -n 's/.* ([0-9]+)\..*/\1/p' )
 	if [ 1 -lt "$GIT_VERSION_MAJOR" ];then
 		git fetch origin "$VCSH_BRANCH"
 	else
@@ -536,8 +536,8 @@ write_gitignore() {
 	use
 	cd "$VCSH_BASE" || fatal "could not enter '$VCSH_BASE'" 11
 	local GIT_VERSION="$(git --version)"
-	local GIT_VERSION_MAJOR=$(echo $GIT_VERSION | sed -n 's/.* \([0-9]\+\)\..*/\1/p')
-	local GIT_VERSION_MINOR=$(echo $GIT_VERSION | sed -n 's/.* \([0-9]\+\)\.\([0-9]\+\)\..*/\2/p')
+	local GIT_VERSION_MAJOR=$(echo $GIT_VERSION | sed -E -n 's/.* ([0-9]+)\..*/\1/p')
+	local GIT_VERSION_MINOR=$(echo $GIT_VERSION | sed -E -n 's/.* ([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\..*/\2/p')
 	OLDIFS=$IFS
 	IFS=$(printf '\n\t')
 	gitignores=$(for file in $(git ls-files); do