diff --git a/src/babel/api/register/node.js b/src/babel/api/register/node.js
index 5fbe572426..f5c04106b1 100644
--- a/src/babel/api/register/node.js
+++ b/src/babel/api/register/node.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import * as babel from "../node";
 import each from "lodash/collection/each";
 import * as util from  "../../util";
 import fs from "fs";
+import path from "path";
 
 sourceMapSupport.install({
   handleUncaughtExceptions: false,
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ var compile = function (filename, opts = {}) {
 
 var shouldIgnore = function (filename) {
   if (!ignore && !only) {
-    return /node_modules/.test(filename);
+    return filename.split(path.sep).indexOf("node_modules") >= 0;
   } else {
     return util.shouldIgnore(filename, ignore || [], only || []);
   }
diff --git a/test/core/fixtures/require-hook/not_node_modules/input.js b/test/core/fixtures/require-hook/not_node_modules/input.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ff14abefe9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/core/fixtures/require-hook/not_node_modules/input.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+() => {};
diff --git a/test/core/require-hook.js b/test/core/require-hook.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6a61c3cb9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/core/require-hook.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+var chai        = require("chai");
+
+// Require-hook.
+require("../../lib/babel/api/register/node");
+
+suite("require hook", function () {
+  test("not node_modules", function () {
+    chai.expect(function () {
+      require("./fixtures/require-hook/not_node_modules/input");
+    }).to.not.throw();
+  });
+});