diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C
index 9676ece13f..3fabfc7b1e 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ bool Foam::functionObjectList::readFunctionObject
     word funcName(funcCall);
 
     int argLevel = 0;
-    wordList args;
+    wordReList args;
 
     List<Tuple2<word, string>> namedArgs;
     bool namedArg = false;
@@ -274,10 +274,7 @@ bool Foam::functionObjectList::readFunctionObject
                 }
                 else
                 {
-                    args.append
-                    (
-                        string::validate<word>(funcCall(start, i - start))
-                    );
+                    args.append(wordRe(funcCall(start, i - start)));
                 }
                 start = i+1;
             }
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeObjectsBase/writeObjectsBase.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeObjectsBase/writeObjectsBase.C
index f0b3c7347e..95078cea52 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeObjectsBase/writeObjectsBase.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeObjectsBase/writeObjectsBase.C
@@ -114,7 +114,21 @@ Foam::functionObjects::writeObjectsBase::writeObjectNames() const
 
 bool Foam::functionObjects::writeObjectsBase::read(const dictionary& dict)
 {
-    dict.lookup("objects") >> writeObjectNames_;
+    regExp_ = dict.lookupOrDefault<Switch>("regExp", true);
+
+    if (regExp_)
+    {
+        dict.lookup("objects") >> writeObjectNames_;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        const wordList objectNames(dict.lookup("objects"));
+        writeObjectNames_.setSize(objectNames.size());
+        forAll(objectNames, i)
+        {
+            writeObjectNames_[i] = objectNames[i];
+        }
+    }
 
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeObjectsBase/writeObjectsBase.H b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeObjectsBase/writeObjectsBase.H
index ed9eb078b6..85ee0f3a5e 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeObjectsBase/writeObjectsBase.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/writeObjectsBase/writeObjectsBase.H
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ Usage
     \table
         Property | Description                       | Required | Default value
         objects  | List of objects to be written     | yes      |
+        regExp   | Switch for regular expression support | no   | true
     \endtable
 
     Note: Regular expressions can also be used in \c objects.
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ SourceFiles
 
 #include "wordList.H"
 #include "wordReList.H"
+#include "Switch.H"
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
@@ -97,6 +99,10 @@ protected:
         //- Reference to the inheriting function object's log variable
         const Switch& log_;
 
+        //- Optional switch for regular expression support
+        //  Defaults to true
+        Switch regExp_;
+
         //- Object names requested by the user to be written
         wordReList writeObjectNames_;
 
diff --git a/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeObjects/writeObjects.H b/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeObjects/writeObjects.H
index 2721401b77..a713e33b8b 100644
--- a/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeObjects/writeObjects.H
+++ b/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeObjects/writeObjects.H
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ public:
 
         static const NamedEnum<writeOption, 3> writeOptionNames_;
 
+
 private:
 
     // Private Data