diff --git a/matlab/cherrypick.m b/matlab/cherrypick.m
index c12a1987c..48f89098b 100644
--- a/matlab/cherrypick.m
+++ b/matlab/cherrypick.m
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ function json = cherrypick(infile, outfold, eqtags, noresids, json)
 % It is expected that the file infile.mod has already been run, and
 % that the associated JSON output is available.
 
-% Copyright © 2019-2020 Dynare Team
+% Copyright © 2019-2021 Dynare Team
 %
 % This file is part of Dynare.
 %
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ for i=1:length(eqtags)
         if any(exogenous_variables_to_be_removed)
             switch sum(exogenous_variables_to_be_removed)
               case 1
-                RHS = regexprep(RHS, sprintf('(\\ *)(+)(\\ *)%s', xnames{exogenous_variables_to_be_removed}), '');
+                RHS = regexprep(RHS, sprintf('\\ *\\+\\ *%s', xnames{exogenous_variables_to_be_removed}), '');
                 RHS = regexprep(RHS, sprintf('%s', xnames{exogenous_variables_to_be_removed}), '');
               case 0
                 % Nothing to do.
@@ -297,4 +297,4 @@ function printlistofvariables(fid, kind, list, DynareModel, vappend)
             vlist = sprintf('%s\n\t%s', vlist, list{i});
         end
         fprintf(fid, '%s;', vlist);
-    end
\ No newline at end of file
+    end