diff --git a/cmd/skopeo/sync.go b/cmd/skopeo/sync.go
index 71212879..67a37862 100644
--- a/cmd/skopeo/sync.go
+++ b/cmd/skopeo/sync.go
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ func imagesToCopyFromRegistry(registryName string, cfg registrySyncConfig, sourc
 				repoLogger.Errorf("Internal error, reference %s does not have a tag, skipping", sReference.DockerReference())
 				continue
 			}
-			if tagReg.Match([]byte(tagged.Tag())) {
+			if tagReg.MatchString(tagged.Tag()) {
 				sourceReferences = append(sourceReferences, sReference)
 			}
 		}