diff --git a/expconfig.py b/expconfig.py
index cc1b663b28d006d48a8df7c734bd75bc31ad8b20..8a9785f8c6ad6aa861f0dbf1c287e17ed3657e96 100644
--- a/expconfig.py
+++ b/expconfig.py
@@ -217,12 +217,13 @@ class ExpConfig(ConfigObj):
                                      for v in section[base_key]]
                 
 
-        list_assign_re = re.compile(r'(.*?)\s*([-+>])$')
         list_assign_op = {
             '+': add_to_list,
             '-': remove_from_list,
             '>': rename_list_items,
         }
+        op_choice = "|".join(re.escape(op) for op in list_assign_op.keys())
+        list_assign_re = re.compile(r'(.*?)\s*(' + op_choice + ')$')
 
         def list_assign(section):