diff --git a/scripts/mosh b/scripts/mosh
index e75a3b6..77626c5 100755
--- a/scripts/mosh
+++ b/scripts/mosh
@@ -127,16 +127,17 @@ if ( defined $predict ) {
 }
 
 if ( defined $port_request ) {
-  if ( $port_request =~ m{^(?<low>\d+)(:(?<high>\d+))?$} ) {
+  if ( $port_request =~ m{^(\d+)(:(\d+))?$} ) {
+    my ( $low, $clause, $high ) = ( $1, $2, $3 );
     # good port or port-range
-    if ( $+{low} <= 0 or $+{low} >= 65535 ) {
-      die "$0: Server-side (low) port ($+{low}) must be within valid range [0..65535].\n";
+    if ( $low <= 0 or $low > 65535 ) {
+      die "$0: Server-side (low) port ($low) must be within valid range [1..65535].\n";
     }
-    if ( defined $+{high} ) {
-      if ( $+{high} <= 0 or $+{high} >= 65535 ) {
-	die "$0: Server-side high port ($+{high}) must be within valid range [0..65535].\n";
+    if ( defined $high ) {
+      if ( $high <= 0 or $high > 65535 ) {
+	die "$0: Server-side high port ($high) must be within valid range [1..65535].\n";
       }
-      if ( $+{low} > $+{high} ) {
+      if ( $low > $high ) {
 	die "$0: Server-side port range ($port_request): low port greater than high port.\n";
       }
     }