diff --git a/lisp/ChangeLog b/lisp/ChangeLog
index 117f78c1e..b1f3cbc9a 100755
--- a/lisp/ChangeLog
+++ b/lisp/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 2009-02-06  Carsten Dominik  <carsten.dominik@gmail.com>
 
+	* org-exp.el (org-export-preprocess-string): Fix bug when skipping
+	text before first headline.
+
 	* org.el (org-format-latex): Do not convert LaTeX fragments in
 	protected examples.
 
diff --git a/lisp/org-exp.el b/lisp/org-exp.el
index be6e37d42..9f2275611 100644
--- a/lisp/org-exp.el
+++ b/lisp/org-exp.el
@@ -1538,7 +1538,7 @@ on this string to produce the exported version."
       ;; Get the correct stuff before the first headline
       (when (plist-get parameters :skip-before-1st-heading)
 	(goto-char (point-min))
-	(when (re-search-forward "\\(^#.*\n\\)^\\*+[ \t]" nil t)
+	(when (re-search-forward "^\\(#.*\n\\)?\\*+[ \t]" nil t)
 	  (delete-region (point-min) (match-beginning 0))
 	  (goto-char (point-min))
 	  (insert "\n")))