diff --git a/lib/ex.coffee b/lib/ex.coffee
index e259c90..684b2f6 100644
--- a/lib/ex.coffee
+++ b/lib/ex.coffee
@@ -199,9 +199,9 @@ class Ex
   substitute: (range, args) ->
     args = args.trimLeft()
     delim = args[0]
-    if /[a-z]/i.test(delim)
+    if /[a-z1-9\\"|]/i.test(delim)
       throw new CommandError(
-        "Regular expressions can't be delimited by letters")
+        "Regular expressions can't be delimited by alphanumeric characters, '\\', '\"' or '|'")
     delimRE = new RegExp("[^\\\\]#{delim}")
     spl = []
     args_ = args[1..]
diff --git a/spec/ex-commands-spec.coffee b/spec/ex-commands-spec.coffee
index 803aa57..7bf10af 100644
--- a/spec/ex-commands-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/ex-commands-spec.coffee
@@ -453,7 +453,14 @@ describe "the commands", ->
       keydown(':')
       submitNormalModeInputText(':substitute nanxngi')
       expect(atom.notifications.notifications[0].message).toEqual(
-        "Command error: Regular expressions can't be delimited by letters")
+        "Command error: Regular expressions can't be delimited by alphanumeric characters, '\\', '\"' or '|'")
+      expect(editor.getText()).toEqual('abcaABC\ndefdDEF\nabcaABC')
+
+    it "can't be delimited by numbers", ->
+      keydown(':')
+      submitNormalModeInputText(':substitute 1a1x1gi')
+      expect(atom.notifications.notifications[0].message).toEqual(
+        "Command error: Regular expressions can't be delimited by alphanumeric characters, '\\', '\"' or '|'")
       expect(editor.getText()).toEqual('abcaABC\ndefdDEF\nabcaABC')
 
     describe "capturing groups", ->