diff --git a/package/MDAnalysis/coordinates/GMS.py b/package/MDAnalysis/coordinates/GMS.py
index fb997c5c732..fcac54b07a0 100644
--- a/package/MDAnalysis/coordinates/GMS.py
+++ b/package/MDAnalysis/coordinates/GMS.py
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ def _read_next_timestep(self, ts=None):
                     line) is not None):
                     flag = 2
                     continue
-                if (flag == 2) and (re.match(r'^\s*[-]+\s*', line) is not None):
+                if (flag == 2) and (re.match(r'^\s*-+\s*', line) is not None):
                     flag = 3
                     continue
                 if flag == 3 and counter < self.n_atoms: