diff --git a/include/regex.h b/include/regex.h
index 24eca2c297..d67ec65ad9 100644
--- a/include/regex.h
+++ b/include/regex.h
@@ -36,8 +36,15 @@ extern void __re_set_registers
 extern int __regcomp (regex_t *__preg, const char *__pattern, int __cflags);
 libc_hidden_proto (__regcomp)
 
+#if 199901L <= __STDC_VERSION__ && !defined (__STDC_NO_VLA__)
 extern int __regexec (const regex_t *__preg, const char *__string,
-		      size_t __nmatch, regmatch_t __pmatch[], int __eflags);
+		      size_t __nmatch, regmatch_t __pmatch[__nmatch],
+		      int __eflags);
+#else
+extern int __regexec (const regex_t *__preg, const char *__string,
+		      size_t __nmatch, regmatch_t __pmatch[],
+		      int __eflags);
+#endif
 libc_hidden_proto (__regexec)
 
 extern size_t __regerror (int __errcode, const regex_t *__preg,
diff --git a/posix/regex.h b/posix/regex.h
index 14fb1d8364..ebacbaf95d 100644
--- a/posix/regex.h
+++ b/posix/regex.h
@@ -652,11 +652,17 @@ extern int regcomp (regex_t *_Restrict_ __preg,
 		    const char *_Restrict_ __pattern,
 		    int __cflags);
 
+#if 199901L <= __STDC_VERSION__ && !defined (__STDC_NO_VLA__)
 extern int regexec (const regex_t *_Restrict_ __preg,
 		    const char *_Restrict_ __String, size_t __nmatch,
-		    regmatch_t __pmatch[_Restrict_arr_],
-		    int __eflags)
-    __attr_access ((__write_only__, 4, 3));
+		    regmatch_t __pmatch[_Restrict_arr_ __nmatch],
+		    int __eflags);
+#else
+extern int regexec (const regex_t *_Restrict_ __preg,
+		    const char *_Restrict_ __String, size_t __nmatch,
+		    regmatch_t __pmatch[_Restrict_arr],
+		    int __eflags);
+#endif
 
 extern size_t regerror (int __errcode, const regex_t *_Restrict_ __preg,
 			char *_Restrict_ __errbuf, size_t __errbuf_size)