diff --git a/adafruit_pypixelbuf.py b/adafruit_pypixelbuf.py
index 3081c7a..38bcb95 100644
--- a/adafruit_pypixelbuf.py
+++ b/adafruit_pypixelbuf.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 
 * Author(s): Damien P. George &  Limor Fried & Scott Shawcroft & Roy Hooper
 """
-import re
 
 DOTSTAR_LED_START_FULL_BRIGHT = 0xFF
 DOTSTAR_LED_START = 0b11100000  # Three "1" bits, followed by 5 brightness bits
@@ -120,7 +119,7 @@ def parse_byteorder(byteorder):
         dotstar_mode = False
         has_white = False
 
-        if re.search(r'[^RGBWP]', byteorder):
+        if byteorder.strip("RGBWP") != "":
             raise ValueError("Invalid Byteorder string")
 
         try: