diff --git a/ext/psych/lib/psych/visitors/to_ruby.rb b/ext/psych/lib/psych/visitors/to_ruby.rb
index 8614251ca9e6c3..f0fda9bdbcc4a0 100644
--- a/ext/psych/lib/psych/visitors/to_ruby.rb
+++ b/ext/psych/lib/psych/visitors/to_ruby.rb
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ def deserialize o
           source  = $1
           options = 0
           lang    = nil
-          ($2 || '').split('').each do |option|
+          $2&.each_char do |option|
             case option
             when 'x' then options |= Regexp::EXTENDED
             when 'i' then options |= Regexp::IGNORECASE