diff --git a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/OperatorMatches.java b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/OperatorMatches.java
index f4331fe6030..b2b84aef5ba 100644
--- a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/OperatorMatches.java
+++ b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/OperatorMatches.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public class OperatorMatches extends Operator {
 	 * Maximum number of characters permitted in a regular expression.
 	 * @since 5.2.23
 	 */
-	private static final int MAX_REGEX_LENGTH = 1024;
+	private static final int MAX_REGEX_LENGTH = 1000;
 
 	private final ConcurrentMap<String, Pattern> patternCache;
 
diff --git a/spring-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/EvaluationTests.java b/spring-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/EvaluationTests.java
index 35f004c4b6e..60b2ae22f5f 100644
--- a/spring-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/EvaluationTests.java
+++ b/spring-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/EvaluationTests.java
@@ -484,13 +484,13 @@ class EvaluationTests extends AbstractExpressionTests {
 
 		@Test
 		void matchesWithPatternLengthThreshold() {
-			String pattern = "(%s|X)".formatted("1234".repeat(255));
-			assertThat(pattern).hasSize(1024);
+			String pattern = "^(%s|X)".formatted("12345".repeat(199));
+			assertThat(pattern).hasSize(1000);
 			Expression expr = parser.parseExpression("'X' matches '" + pattern + "'");
 			assertThat(expr.getValue(context, Boolean.class)).isTrue();
 
 			pattern += "?";
-			assertThat(pattern).hasSize(1025);
+			assertThat(pattern).hasSize(1001);
 			evaluateAndCheckError("'abc' matches '" + pattern + "'", Boolean.class, SpelMessage.MAX_REGEX_LENGTH_EXCEEDED);
 		}