diff --git a/.htaccess b/.htaccess
index fe3e3acf..345defaf 100644
--- a/.htaccess
+++ b/.htaccess
@@ -8,23 +8,23 @@
   RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
 
   # Page
-  RewriteRule ^([a-z\-]+)$ /index.php?page=$1 [QSA,L]
+  RewriteRule ([a-z\-]+)$ /index.php?page=$1 [QSA,L]
 
   # Wishlists (My lists)
-  RewriteRule ^wishlists/([0-9]+)$ /index.php?page=wishlists&id=$1 [QSA,L]
-  RewriteRule ^wishlists/([0-9]+)/add$ /index.php?page=wishlists&id=$1&wish_add=true [QSA,L]
+  RewriteRule wishlists/([0-9]+)$ /index.php?page=wishlists&id=$1 [QSA,L]
+  RewriteRule wishlists/([0-9]+)/add$ /index.php?page=wishlists&id=$1&wish_add=true [QSA,L]
 
   # Wishlist
-  RewriteRule ^wishlist/([0-9a-f]{40})$ /index.php?page=wishlist&hash=$1 [QSA,L]
+  RewriteRule wishlist/([0-9a-f]{40})$ /index.php?page=wishlist&hash=$1 [QSA,L]
 
   # Blog Post
-  RewriteRule ^blog/([a-z\-0-9]+)$ /index.php?page=post&slug=$1 [QSA,L]
+  RewriteRule blog/([a-z\-0-9]+)$ /index.php?page=post&slug=$1 [QSA,L]
 
   # API
-  RewriteRule ^api/([a-zA-Z\-0-9=]+)$ /index.php?page=api&module=$1 [QSA,L]
+  RewriteRule api/([a-zA-Z\-0-9=]+)$ /index.php?page=api&module=$1 [QSA,L]
 
-  RewriteRule ^api/statistics/([a-zA-Z0-9=]+)$ /index.php?page=api&module=statistics&table=$1 [QSA,L]
-  RewriteRule ^api/url/([a-zA-Z0-9=]+)$ /index.php?page=api&module=url&url=$1 [QSA,L]
-  RewriteRule ^api/wishlists/([0-9]+)$ /index.php?page=api&module=wishlists&wishlist_id=$1 [QSA,L]
-  RewriteRule ^api/wishlists/([0-9a-f]{40})$ /index.php?page=api&module=wishlists&wishlist_hash=$1 [QSA,L]
+  RewriteRule api/statistics/([a-zA-Z0-9=]+)$ /index.php?page=api&module=statistics&table=$1 [QSA,L]
+  RewriteRule api/url/([a-zA-Z0-9=]+)$ /index.php?page=api&module=url&url=$1 [QSA,L]
+  RewriteRule api/wishlists/([0-9]+)$ /index.php?page=api&module=wishlists&wishlist_id=$1 [QSA,L]
+  RewriteRule api/wishlists/([0-9a-f]{40})$ /index.php?page=api&module=wishlists&wishlist_hash=$1 [QSA,L]
 </IfModule>
diff --git a/src/classes/wishthis/URL.php b/src/classes/wishthis/URL.php
index 96914aaa..7a058569 100644
--- a/src/classes/wishthis/URL.php
+++ b/src/classes/wishthis/URL.php
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class URL
             if (count($parts) >= 2) {
                 switch ($parts[0]) {
                     case 'RewriteRule':
-                        $rewriteRule = \substr($parts[1], 1);
+                        $rewriteRule = $parts[1];
                         $target      = $parts[2];
 
                         $regex = str_replace('/', '\/', $rewriteRule);