@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import os

 import sys

 import glob

 import copy

+import re

 __all__ = ["fetch_local_list", "fetch_remote_list", "compare_filelists", "filter_exclude_include"]

@@ -402,16 +403,12 @@ def fetch_remote_list(args, require_attribs = False, recursive = None):

             uri_str = str(uri)

             ## Wildcards used in remote URI?

             ## If yes we'll need a bucket listing...

-            if uri_str.find('*') > -1 or uri_str.find('?') > -1:

-                first_wildcard = uri_str.find('*')

-                first_questionmark = uri_str.find('?')

-                if first_questionmark > -1 and first_questionmark < first_wildcard:

-                    first_wildcard = first_questionmark

-                prefix = uri_str[:first_wildcard]

-                rest = uri_str[first_wildcard+1:]

+            wildcard_split_result = re.split("\*|\?", uri_str, maxsplit=1)

+            if len(wildcard_split_result) == 2: # wildcards found

+                prefix, rest = wildcard_split_result

                 ## Only request recursive listing if the 'rest' of the URI,

                 ## i.e. the part after first wildcard, contains '/'

-                need_recursion = rest.find('/') > -1

+                need_recursion = '/' in rest

                 objectlist = _get_filelist_remote(S3Uri(prefix), recursive = need_recursion)

                 for key in objectlist:

                     ## Check whether the 'key' matches the requested wildcards