diff --git a/themes/pygmalion-virtualenv.zsh-theme b/themes/pygmalion-virtualenv.zsh-theme
index 605e3d10c..47b0b4fb1 100644
--- a/themes/pygmalion-virtualenv.zsh-theme
+++ b/themes/pygmalion-virtualenv.zsh-theme
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ function _virtualenv_prompt_info {
 }
 
 prompt_setup_pygmalion(){
+  setopt localoptions extendedglob
+
   ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX="%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[green]%}"
   ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX="%{$reset_color%} "
   ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_DIRTY="%{$fg[yellow]%}⚡%{$reset_color%}"
@@ -25,16 +27,18 @@ prompt_setup_pygmalion(){
   base_prompt='$(_virtualenv_prompt_info)%{$fg[magenta]%}%n%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[cyan]%}@%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[yellow]%}%m%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[red]%}:%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[cyan]%}%0~%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[red]%}|%{$reset_color%}'
   post_prompt='%{$fg[cyan]%}⇒%{$reset_color%}  '
 
-  base_prompt_nocolor=$(echo "$base_prompt" | perl -pe "s/%\{[^}]+\}//g")
-  post_prompt_nocolor=$(echo "$post_prompt" | perl -pe "s/%\{[^}]+\}//g")
+  base_prompt_nocolor=${base_prompt//\%\{[^\}]##\}}
+  post_prompt_nocolor=${post_prompt//\%\{[^\}]##\}}
 
   autoload -U add-zsh-hook
   add-zsh-hook precmd prompt_pygmalion_precmd
 }
 
 prompt_pygmalion_precmd(){
+  setopt localoptions extendedglob
+
   local gitinfo=$(git_prompt_info)
-  local gitinfo_nocolor=$(echo "$gitinfo" | perl -pe "s/%\{[^}]+\}//g")
+  local gitinfo_nocolor=${gitinfo//\%\{[^\}]##\}}
   local exp_nocolor="$(print -P \"$base_prompt_nocolor$gitinfo_nocolor$post_prompt_nocolor\")"
   local prompt_length=${#exp_nocolor}
 
diff --git a/themes/pygmalion.zsh-theme b/themes/pygmalion.zsh-theme
index bd58db5f6..b13adfd5f 100644
--- a/themes/pygmalion.zsh-theme
+++ b/themes/pygmalion.zsh-theme
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Yay! High voltage and arrows!
 
 prompt_setup_pygmalion(){
+  setopt localoptions extendedglob
+
   ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX="%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[green]%}"
   ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX="%{$reset_color%} "
   ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_DIRTY="%{$fg[yellow]%}⚡%{$reset_color%}"
@@ -9,16 +11,18 @@ prompt_setup_pygmalion(){
   base_prompt='%{$fg[magenta]%}%n%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[cyan]%}@%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[yellow]%}%m%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[red]%}:%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[cyan]%}%0~%{$reset_color%}%{$fg[red]%}|%{$reset_color%}'
   post_prompt='%{$fg[cyan]%}⇒%{$reset_color%}  '
 
-  base_prompt_nocolor=$(echo "$base_prompt" | perl -pe "s/%\{[^}]+\}//g")
-  post_prompt_nocolor=$(echo "$post_prompt" | perl -pe "s/%\{[^}]+\}//g")
+  base_prompt_nocolor=${base_prompt//\%\{[^\}]##\}}
+  post_prompt_nocolor=${post_prompt//\%\{[^\}]##\}}
 
   autoload -U add-zsh-hook
   add-zsh-hook precmd prompt_pygmalion_precmd
 }
 
 prompt_pygmalion_precmd(){
+  setopt localoptions extendedglob
+
   local gitinfo=$(git_prompt_info)
-  local gitinfo_nocolor=$(echo "$gitinfo" | perl -pe "s/%\{[^}]+\}//g")
+  local gitinfo_nocolor=${gitinfo//\%\{[^\}]##\}}
   local exp_nocolor="$(print -P \"$base_prompt_nocolor$gitinfo_nocolor$post_prompt_nocolor\")"
   local prompt_length=${#exp_nocolor}