diff --git a/dh_python2 b/dh_python2
index 7ce6955e88448b7adc77a6e28fa5aab64ffc0515..46081867f8f209cbb2903a124364b0ffd73adef4 100755
--- a/dh_python2
+++ b/dh_python2
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ def main():
                 dependencies.depend("python%d.%d" % version)
 
             for pattern in options.regexpr or []:
-                args += " -X '%s'" % pattern.replace("'", r"\'")
+                args += " -X '%s'" % pattern.replace("'", r"'\''")
 
             dh.autoscript(package, 'postinst', 'postinst-pycompile', args)