diff --git a/src/search/katesearchbar.cpp b/src/search/katesearchbar.cpp
--- a/src/search/katesearchbar.cpp
+++ b/src/search/katesearchbar.cpp
@@ -1219,7 +1219,7 @@
                 for (int i = 1; i <= 9; i++) {
                     const QString number = QString::number(i);
                     const QString &captureDetails = (i <= captureCount)
-                                                    ? (QLatin1String(" = (") + capturePatterns[i - 1].left(30)) + QLatin1Char(')')
+                                                    ? QLatin1String(" = (") + capturePatterns[i - 1].leftRef(30) + QLatin1Char(')')
                                                     : QString();
                     addMenuManager.addEntry(QLatin1String("\\") + number, QString(),
                                             i18n("Reference") + QLatin1Char(' ') + number + captureDetails);
diff --git a/src/utils/katetemplatehandler.cpp b/src/utils/katetemplatehandler.cpp
--- a/src/utils/katetemplatehandler.cpp
+++ b/src/utils/katetemplatehandler.cpp
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@
     // compute start cursor of a match
     auto startOfMatch = [this, &templateText](const QRegularExpressionMatch& match) {
         const auto offset = match.capturedStart(0);
-        const auto left = templateText.left(offset);
+        const auto left = templateText.leftRef(offset);
         const auto nl = QLatin1Char('\n');
         const auto rel_lineno = left.count(nl);
         const auto start = m_wholeTemplateRange->start().toCursor();