diff --git a/org-ref.el b/org-ref.el
index 73c3f2b9..7c0f815c 100644
--- a/org-ref.el
+++ b/org-ref.el
@@ -479,21 +479,21 @@ If so return the position for `goto-char'."
 
 
 (defvar org-ref-cite-re
-  (concat "[^:]\\(" (mapconcat
+  (concat "\\(" (mapconcat
                  (lambda (x)
 		   (replace-regexp-in-string "\*" "\\\\*" x))
                  org-ref-cite-types "\\|") "\\)"
-                 ":\\([a-zA-Z0-9-_:\\./]*,?\\)*")
+                 ":\\([a-zA-Z0-9-_:\\./]+,?\\)+")
   "Regexp for cite links.")
 
 
 (defvar org-ref-label-re
-  "[^:]label:\\([a-zA-Z0-9-_:]*,?\\)*"
+  "label:\\([a-zA-Z0-9-_:]+,?\\)+"
   "Regexp for label links.")
 
 
 (defvar org-ref-ref-re
-  "[^:]\\(eq\\)?ref:\\([a-zA-Z0-9-_:]*,?\\)*"
+  "\\(eq\\)?ref:\\([a-zA-Z0-9-_:]+,?\\)+"
   "Regexp for ref links.")