diff --git a/lib/faker.rb b/lib/faker.rb
index a5d7d472b9..497b080078 100644
--- a/lib/faker.rb
+++ b/lib/faker.rb
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def regexify(reg)
       # with an array of values and selecting one of them.
       def fetch(key)
         fetched = sample(translate("faker.#{key}"))
-        if fetched&.match(%r{^/}) && fetched.match(%r{/$}) # A regex
+        if fetched.is_a?(::String) && fetched.start_with?('/') && fetched.end_with?('/') # A regex
           regexify(fetched)
         else
           fetched
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def fetch(key)
       def fetch_all(key)
         fetched = translate("faker.#{key}")
         fetched = fetched.last if fetched.size <= 1
-        if !fetched.respond_to?(:sample) && fetched.match(%r{^/}) && fetched.match(%r{/$}) # A regex
+        if !fetched.respond_to?(:sample) && fetched.is_a?(::String) && fetched.start_with?('/') && fetched.end_with?('/') # A regex
           regexify(fetched)
         else
           fetched
@@ -146,6 +146,9 @@ def fetch_all(key)
       def parse(key)
         fetched = fetch(key)
 
+        # A plain value cannot contain any tokens, so skip scanning for them
+        return numerify(fetched) unless fetched.include?('#{')
+
         parts = fetched.scan(/(\(?)#\{([A-Za-z]+\.)?([^}]+)\}([^#]++)?/).map do |prefix, kls, meth, etc|
           # If the token had a class Prefix (e.g., Name.first_name)
           # grab the constant, otherwise use self
diff --git a/lib/faker/default/name.rb b/lib/faker/default/name.rb
index 7c3f886a49..fc30c1722f 100644
--- a/lib/faker/default/name.rb
+++ b/lib/faker/default/name.rb
@@ -41,11 +41,8 @@ def name_with_middle
       #
       # @faker.version 0.9.0
       def first_name
-        if parse('name.first_name').empty?
-          fetch('name.first_name')
-        else
-          parse('name.first_name')
-        end
+        parsed = parse('name.first_name')
+        parsed.empty? ? fetch('name.first_name') : parsed
       end
 
       ##