diff --git a/flexmark-ext-abbreviation/src/main/java/com/vladsch/flexmark/ext/abbreviation/internal/AbbreviationNodePostProcessor.java b/flexmark-ext-abbreviation/src/main/java/com/vladsch/flexmark/ext/abbreviation/internal/AbbreviationNodePostProcessor.java
index f99a40c426..852ce6ede9 100644
--- a/flexmark-ext-abbreviation/src/main/java/com/vladsch/flexmark/ext/abbreviation/internal/AbbreviationNodePostProcessor.java
+++ b/flexmark-ext-abbreviation/src/main/java/com/vladsch/flexmark/ext/abbreviation/internal/AbbreviationNodePostProcessor.java
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ private void computeAbbreviations(Document document) {
                 }
             }
 
-            if (sb.length() > 0) this.abbreviations = Pattern.compile(sb.toString());
+            if (sb.length() > 0) this.abbreviations = Pattern.compile(sb.toString(), Pattern.UNICODE_CHARACTER_CLASS);
         }
     }