diff --git a/src/node.c b/src/node.c
index 000df5f..7085e29 100644
--- a/src/node.c
+++ b/src/node.c
@@ -345,9 +345,9 @@ route * r3_tree_match_route(node *tree, match_entry * entry) {
 inline edge * r3_node_find_edge_str(node * n, char * str, int str_len) {
     int i = 0;
     int matched_idx = 0;
-
+    char firstbyte = *str;
     for (; i < n->edge_len ; i++ ) {
-        if ( *str == *(n->edges[i]->pattern) ) {
+        if ( firstbyte == *(n->edges[i]->pattern) ) {
             matched_idx = i;
             break;
         }
diff --git a/tests/bench_str.csv b/tests/bench_str.csv
index c565e8c..40dc980 100644
--- a/tests/bench_str.csv
+++ b/tests/bench_str.csv
@@ -423,3 +423,8 @@
 1400605834,13635682.11
 1400606038,13788132.68
 1400606140,13834040.49
+1400606400,13665833.66
+1400606404,13519944.18
+1400606406,13923000.83
+1400606409,13742645.62
+1400606411,13878225.03