diff --git a/src/parse.rs b/src/parse.rs
index ba5cdc63..017a5b53 100644
--- a/src/parse.rs
+++ b/src/parse.rs
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ impl FromStr for VersionReq {
 
     fn from_str(text: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
         let text = text.trim_start_matches(' ');
-        if let Some(text) = text.strip_prefix('*') {
+        if let Some(text) = wildcard(text) {
             if text.trim_start_matches(' ').is_empty() {
                 #[cfg(not(no_const_vec_new))]
                 return Ok(VersionReq::STAR);
@@ -181,6 +181,18 @@ fn numeric_identifier(input: &str, pos: Position) -> Result<(u64, &str), Error>
     }
 }
 
+fn wildcard(input: &str) -> Option<&str> {
+    if let Some(rest) = input.strip_prefix('*') {
+        Some(rest)
+    } else if let Some(rest) = input.strip_prefix('x') {
+        Some(rest)
+    } else if let Some(rest) = input.strip_prefix('X') {
+        Some(rest)
+    } else {
+        None
+    }
+}
+
 fn dot(input: &str, pos: Position) -> Result<&str, Error> {
     if let Some(rest) = input.strip_prefix('.') {
         Ok(rest)
@@ -281,7 +293,7 @@ fn comparator(input: &str) -> Result<(Comparator, Position, &str), Error> {
 
     let (minor, text) = if let Some(text) = text.strip_prefix('.') {
         pos = Position::Minor;
-        if let Some(text) = text.strip_prefix('*') {
+        if let Some(text) = wildcard(text) {
             has_wildcard = true;
             if default_op {
                 op = Op::Wildcard;
@@ -297,7 +309,7 @@ fn comparator(input: &str) -> Result<(Comparator, Position, &str), Error> {
 
     let (patch, text) = if let Some(text) = text.strip_prefix('.') {
         pos = Position::Patch;
-        if let Some(text) = text.strip_prefix('*') {
+        if let Some(text) = wildcard(text) {
             if default_op {
                 op = Op::Wildcard;
             }
diff --git a/tests/test_version_req.rs b/tests/test_version_req.rs
index 2b7064d1..982fcd6b 100644
--- a/tests/test_version_req.rs
+++ b/tests/test_version_req.rs
@@ -264,51 +264,27 @@ pub fn test_wildcard() {
 
     let ref r = req("*");
     assert_match_all(r, &["0.9.1", "2.9.0", "0.0.9", "1.0.1", "1.1.1"]);
-    assert_match_none(r, &[]);
+    assert_match_none(r, &["1.0.0-pre"]);
 
-    let err = req_err("x");
-    assert_to_string(
-        err,
-        "unexpected character 'x' while parsing major version number",
-    );
-
-    let err = req_err("X");
-    assert_to_string(
-        err,
-        "unexpected character 'X' while parsing major version number",
-    );
+    for s in &["x", "X"] {
+        assert_eq!(*r, req(s));
+    }
 
     let ref r = req("1.*");
     assert_match_all(r, &["1.2.0", "1.2.1", "1.1.1", "1.3.0"]);
-    assert_match_none(r, &["0.0.9"]);
-
-    let err = req_err("1.x");
-    assert_to_string(
-        err,
-        "unexpected character 'x' while parsing minor version number",
-    );
+    assert_match_none(r, &["0.0.9", "1.2.0-pre"]);
 
-    let err = req_err("1.X");
-    assert_to_string(
-        err,
-        "unexpected character 'X' while parsing minor version number",
-    );
+    for s in &["1.x", "1.X", "1.*.*"] {
+        assert_eq!(*r, req(s));
+    }
 
     let ref r = req("1.2.*");
     assert_match_all(r, &["1.2.0", "1.2.2", "1.2.4"]);
-    assert_match_none(r, &["1.9.0", "1.0.9", "2.0.1", "0.1.3"]);
-
-    let err = req_err("1.2.x");
-    assert_to_string(
-        err,
-        "unexpected character 'x' while parsing patch version number",
-    );
+    assert_match_none(r, &["1.9.0", "1.0.9", "2.0.1", "0.1.3", "1.2.2-pre"]);
 
-    let err = req_err("1.2.X");
-    assert_to_string(
-        err,
-        "unexpected character 'X' while parsing patch version number",
-    );
+    for s in &["1.2.x", "1.2.X"] {
+        assert_eq!(*r, req(s));
+    }
 }
 
 #[test]