diff --git a/src/libexpr/names.cc b/src/libexpr/names.cc
index c2b27333..cda5aa19 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/names.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/names.cc
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 #include "names.hh"
 #include "util.hh"
-#include "regex.hh"
 
 
 namespace nix {
@@ -34,8 +33,8 @@ DrvName::DrvName(const string & s) : hits(0)
 bool DrvName::matches(DrvName & n)
 {
     if (name != "*") {
-        Regex regex(name);
-        if (!regex.matches(n.name)) return false;
+        if (!regex) regex = std::shared_ptr<Regex>(new Regex(name));
+        if (!regex->matches(n.name)) return false;
     }
     if (version != "" && version != n.version) return false;
     return true;
diff --git a/src/libexpr/names.hh b/src/libexpr/names.hh
index ebe113e8..4b3dcddf 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/names.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/names.hh
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include <memory>
+
 #include "types.hh"
+#include "regex.hh"
 
 namespace nix {
 
@@ -14,6 +17,9 @@ struct DrvName
     DrvName();
     DrvName(const string & s);
     bool matches(DrvName & n);
+
+private:
+    std::shared_ptr<Regex> regex;
 };
 
 typedef list<DrvName> DrvNames;