diff --git a/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_auth.erl b/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_auth.erl
index 0b4ba8f86c0..5226a56a68c 100644
--- a/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_auth.erl
+++ b/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_auth.erl
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ cookie_authentication_handler(#httpd{mochi_req=MochiReq}=Req) ->
     Cookie ->
         [User, TimeStr | HashParts] = try
             AuthSession = couch_util:decodeBase64Url(Cookie),
-            [_A, _B | _Cs] = string:tokens(?b2l(AuthSession), ":")
+            [_A, _B | _Cs] = re:split(?b2l(AuthSession), ":", [{return, list}])
         catch
             _:_Error ->
                 Reason = <<"Malformed AuthSession cookie. Please clear your cookies.">>,