diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs
index 701cf8069..7968ea85c 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ data Query = Any              -- ^ always match
                               --   and sometimes like a query option (for controlling display)
            | Tag Regexp (Maybe Regexp)  -- ^ match if a tag's name, and optionally its value, is matched by these respective regexps
                                         -- matching the regexp if provided, exists
-    deriving (Eq,Data,Typeable)
+    deriving (Eq,Show,Data,Typeable)
 
 -- | Construct a payee tag
 payeeTag :: Maybe String -> Either RegexError Query
@@ -115,26 +115,6 @@ payeeTag = liftA2 Tag (toRegexCI_ "payee") . maybe (pure Nothing) (fmap Just . t
 noteTag :: Maybe String -> Either RegexError Query
 noteTag = liftA2 Tag (toRegexCI_ "note") . maybe (pure Nothing) (fmap Just . toRegexCI_)
 
--- custom Show implementation to show strings more accurately, eg for debugging regexps
-instance Show Query where
-  show Any           = "Any"
-  show None          = "None"
-  show (Not q)       = "Not ("   ++ show q  ++ ")"
-  show (Or qs)       = "Or ("    ++ show qs ++ ")"
-  show (And qs)      = "And ("   ++ show qs ++ ")"
-  show (Code r)      = "Code "   ++ show r
-  show (Desc r)      = "Desc "   ++ show r
-  show (Acct r)      = "Acct "   ++ show r
-  show (Date ds)     = "Date ("  ++ show ds ++ ")"
-  show (Date2 ds)    = "Date2 (" ++ show ds ++ ")"
-  show (StatusQ b)    = "StatusQ " ++ show b
-  show (Real b)      = "Real "   ++ show b
-  show (Amt ord qty) = "Amt "    ++ show ord ++ " " ++ show qty
-  show (Sym r)       = "Sym "    ++ show r
-  show (Empty b)     = "Empty "  ++ show b
-  show (Depth n)     = "Depth "  ++ show n
-  show (Tag s ms)    = "Tag "    ++ show s ++ " (" ++ show ms ++ ")"
-
 -- | A more expressive Ord, used for amt: queries. The Abs* variants
 -- compare with the absolute value of a number, ignoring sign.
 data OrdPlus = Lt | LtEq | Gt | GtEq | Eq | AbsLt | AbsLtEq | AbsGt | AbsGtEq | AbsEq
@@ -190,11 +170,10 @@ data QueryOpt = QueryOptInAcctOnly AccountName  -- ^ show an account register fo
 -- 4. then all terms are AND'd together
 --
 -- >>> parseQuery nulldate "expenses:dining out"
--- Right (Or ([Acct "expenses:dining",Acct "out"]),[])
+-- Right (Or [Acct (RegexpCI "expenses:dining"),Acct (RegexpCI "out")],[])
 --
 -- >>> parseQuery nulldate "\"expenses:dining out\""
--- Right (Acct "expenses:dining out",[])
---
+-- Right (Acct (RegexpCI "expenses:dining out"),[])
 parseQuery :: Day -> T.Text -> Either String (Query,[QueryOpt])
 parseQuery d s = do
   let termstrs = words'' prefixes s
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Utils/Regex.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Utils/Regex.hs
index d21a88358..ba12cb896 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Utils/Regex.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Utils/Regex.hs
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ module Hledger.Utils.Regex (
   )
 where
 
-import Control.Arrow (first)
 import Control.Monad (foldM)
 import Data.Aeson (ToJSON(..), Value(String))
 import Data.Array ((!), elems, indices)
@@ -111,13 +110,19 @@ instance Ord Regexp where
   RegexpCI _ _ `compare` Regexp _ _ = GT
 
 instance Show Regexp where
-  showsPrec d (Regexp s _)   = showString "Regexp " . showsPrec d s
-  showsPrec d (RegexpCI s _) = showString "RegexpCI " . showsPrec d s
+  showsPrec d r = showParen (d > app_prec) $ reCons . showsPrec (app_prec+1) (reString r)
+    where app_prec = 10
+          reCons = case r of Regexp   _ _ -> showString "Regexp "
+                             RegexpCI _ _ -> showString "RegexpCI "
 
 instance Read Regexp where
-  readsPrec d ('R':'e':'g':'e':'x':'p':' ':xs)         = map (first toRegex')   $ readsPrec d xs
-  readsPrec d ('R':'e':'g':'e':'x':'p':'C':'I':' ':xs) = map (first toRegexCI') $ readsPrec d xs
-  readsPrec _ s                                        = error' $ "read: Not a valid regex " ++ s
+  readsPrec d r =  readParen (d > app_prec) (\r -> [(toRegexCI' m,t) |
+                                                    ("RegexCI",s) <- lex r,
+                                                    (m,t) <- readsPrec (app_prec+1) s]) r
+                ++ readParen (d > app_prec) (\r -> [(toRegex' m, t) |
+                                                    ("Regex",s) <- lex r,
+                                                    (m,t) <- readsPrec (app_prec+1) s]) r
+    where app_prec = 10
 
 instance Data Regexp where
   toConstr _   = error' "No toConstr for Regex"