diff --git a/app/scripts/resources/scripts/app/xml_handler/resources/scripts/configuration/ivr.conf.lua b/app/scripts/resources/scripts/app/xml_handler/resources/scripts/configuration/ivr.conf.lua
index 6e7d07365d..9b5403698a 100644
--- a/app/scripts/resources/scripts/app/xml_handler/resources/scripts/configuration/ivr.conf.lua
+++ b/app/scripts/resources/scripts/app/xml_handler/resources/scripts/configuration/ivr.conf.lua
@@ -287,9 +287,9 @@
 					if (ivr_menu_direct_dial == "true") then
 						local negative_lookahead = "";
 						if (#direct_dial_exclude > 0) then
-							negative_lookahead = "(?!"..table.concat(direct_dial_exclude, "|")..")";
+							negative_lookahead = "(?!^("..table.concat(direct_dial_exclude, "|")..")$)";
 						end
-						local direct_dial_regex = string.format("/^%s(\\d{%s,%s})$/", negative_lookahead, direct_dial_digits_min, direct_dial_digits_max);
+						local direct_dial_regex = string.format("/^(%s\\d{%s,%s})$/", negative_lookahead, direct_dial_digits_min, direct_dial_digits_max);
 						table.insert(xml, [[					<entry action="menu-exec-app" digits="]]..direct_dial_regex..[[" param="set ${cond(${user_exists id $1 ]]..domain_name..[[} == true ? user_exists=true : user_exists=false)}" description="direct dial"/>\n]]);
 						--table.insert(xml, [[					<entry action="menu-exec-app" digits="]]..direct_dial_regex..[[" param="set ${cond(${user_exists} == true ? user_exists=true : ivr_max_failures=${system(expr ${ivr_max_failures} + 1)})}" description="increment max failures"/>\n]]);
 						table.insert(xml, [[					<entry action="menu-exec-app" digits="]]..direct_dial_regex..[[" param="playback ${cond(${user_exists} == true ? ]]..sound_prefix..[[ivr/ivr-call_being_transferred.wav : ]]..sound_prefix..[[ivr/ivr-that_was_an_invalid_entry.wav)}" description="play sound"/>\n]]);