diff --git a/crates/oxide_bytecode/src/opcode.rs b/crates/oxide_bytecode/src/opcode.rs
index 64fa3368..e6e29643 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_bytecode/src/opcode.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_bytecode/src/opcode.rs
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ pub enum OpCode {
     SET_HOME_OBJECT = 0x47,
     DEFINE_ACCESSOR = 0x48,
     CREATE_CLOSURE = 0x4A,
+    CREATE_REGEXP = 0x4B,
 
     // ── Object Property (0x50-0x5F) ──
     IC_GET_PROP = 0x50,
@@ -240,6 +241,7 @@ impl TryFrom<u8> for OpCode {
             0x47 => Ok(OpCode::SET_HOME_OBJECT),
             0x48 => Ok(OpCode::DEFINE_ACCESSOR),
             0x4A => Ok(OpCode::CREATE_CLOSURE),
+            0x4B => Ok(OpCode::CREATE_REGEXP),
             0x50 => Ok(OpCode::IC_GET_PROP),
             0x51 => Ok(OpCode::IC_SET_PROP),
             0x52 => Ok(OpCode::GET_PROP),
@@ -360,6 +362,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for OpCode {
             OpCode::SET_HOME_OBJECT => "SET_HOME_OBJECT",
             OpCode::DEFINE_ACCESSOR => "DEFINE_ACCESSOR",
             OpCode::CREATE_CLOSURE => "CREATE_CLOSURE",
+            OpCode::CREATE_REGEXP => "CREATE_REGEXP",
             OpCode::IC_GET_PROP => "IC_GET_PROP",
             OpCode::IC_SET_PROP => "IC_SET_PROP",
             OpCode::GET_PROP => "GET_PROP",
diff --git a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/counter/expr/literal.rs b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/counter/expr/literal.rs
index e3234428..2ba0caf5 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/counter/expr/literal.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/counter/expr/literal.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,11 @@ impl Compiler {
     }
 
     pub(in crate::counter) fn count_regexp_literal(&self, ctx: &mut CompileCtx) {
-        ctx.alloc_reg();
+        ctx.alloc_reg(); // pattern reg (LOAD_CONST)
+        ctx.projected_pc += 1;
+        ctx.alloc_reg(); // flags reg (LOAD_CONST)
+        ctx.projected_pc += 1;
+        ctx.alloc_reg(); // result reg (CREATE_REGEXP)
         ctx.projected_pc += 1;
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/emitter/expr/literal.rs b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/emitter/expr/literal.rs
index 7d25b98d..4f2e0560 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/emitter/expr/literal.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/emitter/expr/literal.rs
@@ -68,11 +68,16 @@ impl Compiler {
             let raw_str = raw.to_string();
             if raw_str.len() >= 2 && raw_str.starts_with('/') {
                 let last_slash = raw_str.rfind('/').unwrap_or(raw_str.len() - 1);
-                let pattern = &raw_str[1..last_slash];
-                let flags = &raw_str[last_slash + 1..];
-                let ci = ctx.add_constant(Constant::RegExp(pattern.to_string(), flags.to_string()));
+                let pattern = raw_str[1..last_slash].to_string();
+                let flags = raw_str[last_slash + 1..].to_string();
+                let pat_ci = ctx.add_constant(Constant::String(pattern));
+                let pat_reg = ctx.alloc_reg();
+                ctx.emit_load_const(pat_reg, pat_ci);
+                let flags_ci = ctx.add_constant(Constant::String(flags));
+                let flags_reg = ctx.alloc_reg();
+                ctx.emit_load_const(flags_reg, flags_ci);
                 let r = ctx.alloc_reg();
-                ctx.emit_load_const(r, ci);
+                ctx.emit(opcode::encode(OpCode::CREATE_REGEXP, r, pat_reg, flags_reg));
                 Ok(r)
             } else {
                 Err(format!("unsupported regexp literal: {:?}", lit))
diff --git a/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs b/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs
index fe1ec94f..462ba899 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs
@@ -752,6 +752,37 @@ impl Vm {
                     );
                     self.regs[rd] = result;
                 }
+                OpCode::CREATE_REGEXP => {
+                    let pat_val = self.regs[a];
+                    let flags_val = self.regs[b];
+                    let ctor_ptr =
+                        self.session.builtin_world().regexp_constructor.as_ptr() as *mut JsObject;
+                    let ctor = unsafe { &*ctor_ptr };
+                    let Some(native_fn) = ctor.native_fn() else {
+                        self.raise_error_kind("TypeError", "RegExp constructor unavailable")?;
+                        return Ok(JsValue::undefined());
+                    };
+                    let saved_0 = self.regs[0];
+                    let saved_1 = self.regs[1];
+                    let saved_2 = self.regs[2];
+                    self.regs[0] = JsValue::undefined();
+                    self.regs[1] = pat_val;
+                    self.regs[2] = flags_val;
+                    let func = unsafe { crate::vm::native_fn_ptr_to_fn(native_fn) };
+                    let result = match func(self, &[0, 1, 2]) {
+                        crate::native::NativeResult::Ok(v) => v,
+                        crate::native::NativeResult::Err(e) => {
+                            return Err(self.error_message_text("TypeError", &self.error_text(e)));
+                        }
+                        crate::native::NativeResult::TailCall { .. } => {
+                            return Err(self.error_message_text("TypeError", "unexpected tail call"));
+                        }
+                    };
+                    self.regs[0] = saved_0;
+                    self.regs[1] = saved_1;
+                    self.regs[2] = saved_2;
+                    self.regs[rd] = result;
+                }
 
                 OpCode::ADD => {
                     self.dispatch_add(rd, a, b)?;