diff --git a/test/claim-aud.test.js b/test/claim-aud.test.js
index 3a27fd89..c125f10d 100644
--- a/test/claim-aud.test.js
+++ b/test/claim-aud.test.js
@@ -431,6 +431,15 @@ describe('audience', function() {
           });
         });
       });
+
+      it('should error with a Regex verify "audience" option that matches any string', function (done) {
+        verifyWithAudience(token, /.+/, (err) => {
+          testUtils.asyncCheck(done, () => {
+            expect(err).to.be.instanceOf(jwt.JsonWebTokenError);
+            expect(err).to.have.property('message', 'jwt audience invalid. expected: /.+/');
+          });
+        });
+      });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/verify.js b/verify.js
index cdbfdc45..59381108 100644
--- a/verify.js
+++ b/verify.js
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ module.exports = function (jwtString, secretOrPublicKey, options, callback) {
 
       const match = target.some(function (targetAudience) {
         return audiences.some(function (audience) {
-          return audience instanceof RegExp ? audience.test(targetAudience) : audience === targetAudience;
+          return audience instanceof RegExp ? typeof targetAudience === 'string' && audience.test(targetAudience) : audience === targetAudience;
         });
       });