diff --git a/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf b/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf
index 270373e7..985d0048 100644
--- a/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ actionban = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: banned <ip> from `uname -n`
             Here is more information about <ip>:\n
             `/usr/bin/whois <ip> || echo missing whois program`\n\n
             Lines containing IP:<ip> in <logpath>\n
-            `grep '[^0-9]<ip>[^0-9]' <logpath>`\n\n
+            `grep '\([^0-9]\|^\)<ip>[^0-9]' <logpath>`\n\n
             Regards,\n
             Fail2Ban" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -f <sender> <dest>