diff --git a/plugins/picker/picker.go b/plugins/picker/picker.go
index cfffd09..d6ae53b 100644
--- a/plugins/picker/picker.go
+++ b/plugins/picker/picker.go
@@ -68,11 +68,11 @@ func (p *PickerPlugin) message(c bot.Connector, kind bot.Kind, message msg.Messa
 	return true
 }
 
-var pickerListPrologue = regexp.MustCompile(`^pick([^ \t]*)[ \t]+([0-9]*)[ \t]*\{[ \t]*`)
-var pickerListFinalItem = regexp.MustCompile(`^([^,}]+),?[ \t]*\}[ \t]*`)
+var pickRegex = regexp.MustCompile(`^pick([^\s]+)?(\s\d)?\s+{(.*)}$`)
 
 func (p *PickerPlugin) parse(body string) (int, []string, error) {
-	subs := pickerListPrologue.FindStringSubmatch(body)
+	subs := pickRegex.FindStringSubmatch(body)
+	log.Debug().Str("body", body).Strs("subs", subs).Msg("parse")
 	if subs == nil {
 		return 0, nil, errors.New("saddle up for a syntax error")
 	}
@@ -82,39 +82,21 @@ func (p *PickerPlugin) parse(body string) (int, []string, error) {
 		Interface("subs", subs).
 		Msg("subs")
 
-	n := 1
 	delim := ","
-	var err error
-
 	if subs[1] != "" {
 		delim = subs[1]
 	}
 
-	if subs[2] != "" {
-		n, err = strconv.Atoi(subs[2])
+	n := 1
+	var err error
+	if num := strings.TrimSpace(subs[2]); num != "" {
+		n, err = strconv.Atoi(num)
 		if err != nil {
 			return 0, nil, err
 		}
 	}
-	pickerListItem := regexp.MustCompile(`^([^` + delim + `]+)` + delim + `[ \t]*`)
 
-	var items []string
-	rest := body[len(subs[0]):]
-	for {
-		subs = pickerListItem.FindStringSubmatch(rest)
-		if subs == nil {
-			break
-		}
-
-		items = append(items, subs[1])
-		rest = rest[len(subs[0]):]
-	}
-
-	subs = pickerListFinalItem.FindStringSubmatch(rest)
-	if subs == nil {
-		return 0, nil, errors.New("lasso yerself that final curly brace, compadre")
-	}
-	items = append(items, subs[1])
+	items := strings.Split(subs[3], delim)
 
 	if n < 1 || n > len(items) {
 		return 0, nil, errors.New("whoah there, bucko, I can't create something out of nothing")
diff --git a/plugins/picker/picker_test.go b/plugins/picker/picker_test.go
index 1467475..cca1eba 100644
--- a/plugins/picker/picker_test.go
+++ b/plugins/picker/picker_test.go
@@ -88,3 +88,13 @@ func TestPickDelimiterString(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NotContains(t, mb.Messages[0], "hot picks")
 	log.Debug().Str("resp", mb.Messages[0]).Msg("choose")
 }
+
+func TestKnownBrokenPick(t *testing.T) {
+	mb := bot.NewMockBot()
+	c := New(mb)
+	_ = c.message(makeMessage("!pick⌘ { bagel/egg/smoked turkey/butte/cheese ⌘ fuck all that, just have a bagel and cream cheese }"))
+	assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1)
+	assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "I've chosen")
+	assert.NotContains(t, mb.Messages[0], "hot picks")
+	log.Debug().Str("resp", mb.Messages[0]).Msg("choose")
+}