diff --git a/src/tools/msvc.jam b/src/tools/msvc.jam
index 90c296229..07c2bc536 100644
--- a/src/tools/msvc.jam
+++ b/src/tools/msvc.jam
@@ -459,14 +459,14 @@ rule configure-version-specific ( toolset : version : conditions )
     # 12.0 (VS2013 Update 2) introduced /Zc:inline opt-in standard conformance
     # compiler flag that also similar to linker /opt:ref removes unreferenced
     # variables and functions that have internal linkage
-    if ! [ version.version-less [ SPLIT_BY_CHARACTERS $(version) : . ] : 12 ]
+    if ! [ version.version-less [ SPLIT_BY_CHARACTERS [ MATCH "^([0123456789.]+)" : $(version) ] : . ] : 12 ]
     {
         toolset.flags $(toolset).compile CFLAGS $(conditions) : "/Zc:inline" ;
     }
 
     # 14.0 introduced /Zc:throwingNew opt-in flag that disables a workaround
     # for not throwing operator new in VC up to 6.0
-    if ! [ version.version-less [ SPLIT_BY_CHARACTERS $(version) : . ] : 14 ]
+    if ! [ version.version-less [ SPLIT_BY_CHARACTERS [ MATCH "^([0123456789.]+)" : $(version) ] : . ] : 14 ]
     {
         toolset.flags $(toolset).compile CFLAGS $(conditions) : "/Zc:throwingNew" ;
     }