diff --git a/lib/mysql.js b/lib/mysql.js
index 75b1e16..c67d93d 100644
--- a/lib/mysql.js
+++ b/lib/mysql.js
@@ -459,6 +459,27 @@ MySQL.prototype.ping = function(cb) {
   this.execute('SELECT 1 AS result', cb);
 };
 
+MySQL.prototype.buildExpression = function(columnName, operator, operatorValue,
+    propertyDefinition) {
+  if (operator === 'regexp') {
+    if (operatorValue.ignoreCase)
+      console.warn('MySQL regex syntax does not respect the `i` flag');
+
+    if (operatorValue.global)
+      console.warn('MySQL regex syntax does not respect the `g` flag');
+
+    if (operatorValue.multiline)
+      console.warn('MySQL regex syntax does not respect the `m` flag');
+
+    return new ParameterizedSQL(columnName + ' REGEXP ?',
+        [operatorValue.source]);
+  }
+
+  // invoke the base implementation of `buildExpression`
+  return this.invokeSuper('buildExpression', columnName, operator,
+      operatorValue, propertyDefinition);
+};
+
 require('./migration')(MySQL, mysql);
 require('./discovery')(MySQL, mysql);
 require('./transaction')(MySQL, mysql);
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 74d0cbf..032ea65 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -7,17 +7,18 @@
     "test": "mocha"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "loopback-connector": "^2.1.0",
-    "mysql": "^2.5.4",
     "async": "^0.9.0",
-    "debug": "^2.1.1"
+    "debug": "^2.1.1",
+    "loopback-connector": "^2.1.0",
+    "mysql": "^2.5.4"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "bluebird": "~2.9.10",
     "loopback-datasource-juggler": "^2.28.0",
     "mocha": "^2.1.0",
     "rc": "^1.0.0",
-    "should": "^5.0.0"
+    "should": "^5.0.0",
+    "sinon": "^1.15.4"
   },
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/test/init.js b/test/init.js
index 9959213..83bd213 100644
--- a/test/init.js
+++ b/test/init.js
@@ -29,4 +29,4 @@ global.getDataSource = global.getSchema = function (options) {
   return db;
 };
 
-
+global.sinon = require('sinon');
diff --git a/test/mysql.test.js b/test/mysql.test.js
index 2f533e1..3702127 100644
--- a/test/mysql.test.js
+++ b/test/mysql.test.js
@@ -497,6 +497,158 @@ describe('mysql', function () {
     });
   });
 
+  context('regexp operator', function() {
+    beforeEach(function createTestFixtures(done) {
+      Post.create([
+        {title: 'a', content: 'AAA'},
+        {title: 'b', content: 'BBB'}
+      ], done);
+    });
+    afterEach(function deleteTestFixtures(done) {
+      Post.destroyAll(done);
+    });
+
+    context('with regex strings', function() {
+      context('using no flags', function() {
+        it('should work', function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: '^A'}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            should.not.exist(err);
+            posts.length.should.equal(1);
+            posts[0].content.should.equal('AAA');
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+      });
+
+      context('using flags', function() {
+        beforeEach(function addSpy() {
+          sinon.stub(console, 'warn');
+        });
+        afterEach(function removeSpy()  {
+          console.warn.restore();
+        });
+
+        it('should print a warning when the ignore flag is set',
+            function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: '^a/i'}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            console.warn.calledOnce.should.be.ok;
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+
+        it('should print a warning when the global flag is set',
+            function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: '^a/g'}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            console.warn.calledOnce.should.be.ok;
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+
+        it('should print a warning when the multiline flag is set',
+            function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: '^a/m'}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            console.warn.calledOnce.should.be.ok;
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+      });
+    });
+
+    context('with regex literals', function() {
+      context('using no flags', function() {
+        it('should work', function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: /^A/}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            should.not.exist(err);
+            posts.length.should.equal(1);
+            posts[0].content.should.equal('AAA');
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+
+      });
+
+      context('using flags', function() {
+        beforeEach(function addSpy() {
+          sinon.stub(console, 'warn');
+        });
+        afterEach(function removeSpy()  {
+          console.warn.restore();
+        });
+
+        it('should print a warning when the ignore flag is set',
+            function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: /^a/i}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            console.warn.calledOnce.should.be.ok;
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+
+        it('should print a warning when the global flag is set',
+            function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: /^a/g}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            console.warn.calledOnce.should.be.ok;
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+
+        it('should print a warning when the multiline flag is set',
+            function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: /^a/m}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            console.warn.calledOnce.should.be.ok;
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+      });
+    });
+
+    context('with regex objects', function() {
+      beforeEach(function addSpy() {
+        sinon.stub(console, 'warn');
+      });
+      afterEach(function removeSpy()  {
+        console.warn.restore();
+      });
+
+      context('using no flags', function() {
+        it('should work', function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: new RegExp(/^A/)}}},
+              function(err, posts) {
+            should.not.exist(err);
+            posts.length.should.equal(1);
+            posts[0].content.should.equal('AAA');
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+      });
+
+      context('using flags', function() {
+        it('should print a warning when the ignore flag is set',
+            function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: /^a/i}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            console.warn.calledOnce.should.be.ok;
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+
+        it('should print a warning when the global flag is set',
+            function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: /^a/g}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            console.warn.calledOnce.should.be.ok;
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+
+        it('should print a warning when the multiline flag is set',
+            function(done) {
+          Post.find({where: {content: {regexp: /^a/m}}}, function(err, posts) {
+            console.warn.calledOnce.should.be.ok;
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
   after(function (done) {
     Post.destroyAll(function () {
       PostWithStringId.destroyAll(function () {