diff --git a/coffee/lib/abstract-chosen.coffee b/coffee/lib/abstract-chosen.coffee
index b22bd00a763..4bb7b39933c 100644
--- a/coffee/lib/abstract-chosen.coffee
+++ b/coffee/lib/abstract-chosen.coffee
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ class AbstractChosen
 
       option.search_match = false
       results_group = null
+      search_match = null
 
       if this.include_option_in_results(option)
 
@@ -152,14 +153,14 @@ class AbstractChosen
         unless option.group and not @group_search
 
           option.search_text = if option.group then option.label else option.text
-          option.search_match = regex.test(option.search_text)
+          search_match = this.search_string_match(option.search_text, regex)
+          option.search_match = search_match?
 
           results += 1 if option.search_match and not option.group
 
           if option.search_match
             if searchText.length
-              match = regex.exec(option.search_text)
-              startpos = match.index
+              startpos = search_match.index
               text = option.search_text.substr(0, startpos + searchText.length) + '</em>' + option.search_text.substr(startpos + searchText.length)
               option.search_text = text.substr(0, startpos) + '<em>' + text.substr(startpos)
 
@@ -182,6 +183,9 @@ class AbstractChosen
     regex_string = "^#{regex_string}" unless @enable_split_word_search or @search_contains
     new RegExp(regex_string, 'i')
 
+  search_string_match: (search_string, regex) ->
+    regex.exec(search_string)
+
   choices_count: ->
     return @selected_option_count if @selected_option_count?