diff --git a/cpp/src/strings/regex/regcomp.cpp b/cpp/src/strings/regex/regcomp.cpp
index 065c358d08b..6f36658523b 100644
--- a/cpp/src/strings/regex/regcomp.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/strings/regex/regcomp.cpp
@@ -280,15 +280,15 @@ class regex_parser {
             yy         = 0;
             if (a >= '0' && a <= '9')
               yy += (a - '0') << 4;
-            else if (a > 'a' && a <= 'f')
+            else if (a >= 'a' && a <= 'f')
               yy += (a - 'a' + 10) << 4;
-            else if (a > 'A' && a <= 'F')
+            else if (a >= 'A' && a <= 'F')
               yy += (a - 'A' + 10) << 4;
             if (b >= '0' && b <= '9')
               yy += b - '0';
-            else if (b > 'a' && b <= 'f')
+            else if (b >= 'a' && b <= 'f')
               yy += b - 'a' + 10;
-            else if (b > 'A' && b <= 'F')
+            else if (b >= 'A' && b <= 'F')
               yy += b - 'A' + 10;
             break;
           }
diff --git a/cpp/tests/strings/contains_tests.cpp b/cpp/tests/strings/contains_tests.cpp
index a72ec61dd8f..bacd62ac86e 100644
--- a/cpp/tests/strings/contains_tests.cpp
+++ b/cpp/tests/strings/contains_tests.cpp
@@ -14,12 +14,12 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+#include <cudf/detail/utilities/vector_factories.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/contains.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/strings_column_view.hpp>
 #include <cudf_test/base_fixture.hpp>
 #include <cudf_test/column_utilities.hpp>
 #include <cudf_test/column_wrapper.hpp>
-#include <tests/strings/utilities.h>
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <vector>
@@ -250,6 +250,33 @@ TEST_F(StringsContainsTests, OctalTest)
   CUDF_TEST_EXPECT_COLUMNS_EQUAL(*results, expected);
 }
 
+TEST_F(StringsContainsTests, HexTest)
+{
+  std::vector<char> ascii_chars(  // all possible matchable chars
+    {thrust::make_counting_iterator<char>(0), thrust::make_counting_iterator<char>(127)});
+  auto const count = static_cast<cudf::size_type>(ascii_chars.size());
+  std::vector<cudf::offset_type> offsets(
+    {thrust::make_counting_iterator<cudf::offset_type>(0),
+     thrust::make_counting_iterator<cudf::offset_type>(0) + count + 1});
+  auto d_chars   = cudf::detail::make_device_uvector_sync(ascii_chars);
+  auto d_offsets = cudf::detail::make_device_uvector_sync(offsets);
+  auto input     = cudf::make_strings_column(d_chars, d_offsets);
+
+  auto strings_view = cudf::strings_column_view(input->view());
+  for (auto ch : ascii_chars) {
+    std::stringstream str;
+    str << "\\x" << std::setfill('0') << std::setw(2) << std::hex << static_cast<int32_t>(ch);
+    std::string pattern = str.str();
+
+    auto results = cudf::strings::contains_re(strings_view, pattern);
+    // only one element in the input should match ch
+    auto true_dat = cudf::detail::make_counting_transform_iterator(
+      0, [ch](auto idx) { return ch == static_cast<char>(idx); });
+    cudf::test::fixed_width_column_wrapper<bool> expected(true_dat, true_dat + count);
+    CUDF_TEST_EXPECT_COLUMNS_EQUAL(*results, expected);
+  }
+}
+
 TEST_F(StringsContainsTests, EmbeddedNullCharacter)
 {
   std::vector<std::string> data(10);