diff --git a/cpplint.py b/cpplint.py
index 4ce789ecb..209c3ac38 100755
--- a/cpplint.py
+++ b/cpplint.py
@@ -5350,7 +5350,7 @@ for _header, _templates in _HEADERS_MAYBE_TEMPLATES:
   for _template in _templates:
     # Match max<type>(..., ...), max(..., ...), but not foo->max or foo.max.
     _re_pattern_headers_maybe_templates.append(
-        (re.compile(r'(?<![>.]\b)' + _template + r'(<.*?>)?\([^\)]'), _template,
+        (re.compile(r'(?<![>.])\b' + _template + r'(<.*?>)?\([^\)]'), _template,
          _header))
 
 # Other scripts may reach in and modify this pattern.