diff --git a/hooks/hooks.json b/hooks/hooks.json
index 35d79fd5a..f1c82b515 100644
--- a/hooks/hooks.json
+++ b/hooks/hooks.json
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
         "id": "pre:edit-write:suggest-compact"
       },
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
         "id": "pre:config-protection"
       },
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
     ],
     "PreCompact": [
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@
     ],
     "SessionStart": [
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
         "id": "session:start"
       },
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@
     ],
     "PostToolUse": [
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@
         "id": "post:dispatcher:sync"
       },
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@
     ],
     "PostToolUseFailure": [
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@
     ],
     "Stop": [
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@
         "id": "stop:plan-canvas-pending"
       },
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@
         "id": "stop:format-typecheck"
       },
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@
         "id": "stop:check-console-log"
       },
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@
         "id": "stop:session-end"
       },
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@
         "id": "stop:evaluate-session"
       },
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@
         "id": "stop:cost-tracker"
       },
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@
     ],
     "SessionEnd": [
       {
-        "matcher": "*",
+        "matcher": ".*",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
diff --git a/tests/hooks/hooks.test.js b/tests/hooks/hooks.test.js
index 746aa88f7..ce3411b15 100644
--- a/tests/hooks/hooks.test.js
+++ b/tests/hooks/hooks.test.js
@@ -2585,7 +2585,7 @@ async function runTests() {
         ['post:dispatcher:sync', 'post:dispatcher:async'],
         'PostToolUse should have one sync and one async dispatcher'
       );
-      assert.ok(postEntries.every(entry => entry.matcher === '*'));
+      assert.ok(postEntries.every(entry => entry.matcher === '.*'));
 
       const preCommand = Array.isArray(preBash[0].hooks[0].command) ? preBash[0].hooks[0].command.join(' ') : preBash[0].hooks[0].command;
 
@@ -2599,6 +2599,22 @@ async function runTests() {
     passed++;
   else failed++;
 
+  if (
+    test('all string hook matchers are valid regular expressions', () => {
+      const hooksPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'hooks', 'hooks.json');
+      const hooks = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(hooksPath, 'utf8'));
+
+      for (const [eventName, hookArray] of Object.entries(hooks.hooks)) {
+        for (const entry of hookArray) {
+          if (typeof entry.matcher !== 'string') continue;
+          assert.doesNotThrow(() => new RegExp(entry.matcher), `${eventName}/${entry.id || 'hook'} should use a valid regex matcher`);
+        }
+      }
+    })
+  )
+    passed++;
+  else failed++;
+
   if (
     test('SessionEnd marker hook is async and cleanup-safe', () => {
       const hooksPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'hooks', 'hooks.json');