Change: $sql =~ s/\bSELECT\W+(?:\w+\W+){1,}?FROM\b|\bSELECT\W\*\WFROM\b/SELECT count(*) FROM /i; to $sql =~ s/\bSELECT\W+(?:\w+\W+){1,}?FROM\b|\bSELECT\W\*\WFROM\b/SELECT count(*) FROM /ig; Change: $limit = 9999 unless $limit; to $limit = 999999 unless $limit;