diff --git a/src/formatters/capture-insert-after-linkcurrent.test.ts b/src/formatters/capture-insert-after-linkcurrent.test.ts
index 67e7b12f..d35ec5e2 100644
--- a/src/formatters/capture-insert-after-linkcurrent.test.ts
+++ b/src/formatters/capture-insert-after-linkcurrent.test.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,14 @@ function findInsertAfterIndex(lines: string[], rawTarget: string): number {
       const suffix = line.slice(target.length);
       if (/^\s*$/.test(suffix)) return i;
       if (partialIndex === -1) partialIndex = i;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const targetIndex = line.indexOf(target);
+    if (targetIndex !== -1) {
+      const suffix = line.slice(targetIndex + target.length);
+      if (/^\s*$/.test(suffix)) return i;
+      if (partialIndex === -1) partialIndex = i;
     }
   }
 
@@ -149,3 +157,45 @@ describe('Insert after — {{title}} resolution', () => {
     expect(newContent.includes('{{title}}')).toBe(false);
   });
 });
+
+describe('Insert after — table separator matching', () => {
+  it('matches table separator row when target appears at end of line', () => {
+    const fileContent = [
+      '| Name          | Quantity | HH:MM |',
+      '| ------------- | -------- | ----- |',
+      '| data          | 5        | 10:00 |',
+    ].join('\n');
+
+    const target = '| ----- |';
+    const lines = fileContent.split('\n');
+    const idx = findInsertAfterIndex(lines, target);
+    
+    // Should match line 1 (index 1) where "| ----- |" appears at the end
+    expect(idx).toBe(1);
+
+    const newContent = insertTextAfterPositionInBody('| new | row |\n', fileContent, idx);
+    const expected = [
+      '| Name          | Quantity | HH:MM |',
+      '| ------------- | -------- | ----- |',
+      '| new | row |',
+      '| data          | 5        | 10:00 |',
+    ].join('\n');
+
+    expect(newContent).toBe(expected);
+  });
+
+  it('matches exact table separator row', () => {
+    const fileContent = [
+      '| Name | Quantity |',
+      '| ----- |',
+      '| data | 5 |',
+    ].join('\n');
+
+    const target = '| ----- |';
+    const lines = fileContent.split('\n');
+    const idx = findInsertAfterIndex(lines, target);
+    
+    // Should match line 1 (index 1) with exact match
+    expect(idx).toBe(1);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/formatters/captureChoiceFormatter.ts b/src/formatters/captureChoiceFormatter.ts
index 3018d092..cf213813 100644
--- a/src/formatters/captureChoiceFormatter.ts
+++ b/src/formatters/captureChoiceFormatter.ts
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ export class CaptureChoiceFormatter extends CompleteFormatter {
 	private fileContent = "";
 	private sourcePath: string | null = null;
 	/**
-	 * Tracks whether the current formatter instance has already run Templater on the
-	 * capture payload.  This prevents the same content from being parsed twice in
-	 * multi-stage formatting flows (see issue #533 – double execution when using
-	 * tp.system.prompt).
-	 */
+		* Tracks whether the current formatter instance has already run Templater on the
+		* capture payload.  This prevents the same content from being parsed twice in
+		* multi-stage formatting flows (see issue #533 – double execution when using
+		* tp.system.prompt).
+		*/
 	private templaterProcessed = false;
 
 	public setDestinationFile(file: TFile): void {
@@ -163,16 +163,34 @@ export class CaptureChoiceFormatter extends CompleteFormatter {
 			// 1. Exact match wins immediately
 			if (line === target) return i;
 
-			// 2. Check for regex-compatible match (target + only whitespace suffix)
+			// 2. Check for prefix match (target + only whitespace suffix)
+			// This matches old regex behavior for lines starting with the target
 			if (line.startsWith(target)) {
 				const suffix = line.slice(target.length);
 				// If suffix is only whitespace, this matches old regex behavior exactly
 				if (/^\s*$/.test(suffix)) return i;
-				
+
 				// Remember first broader prefix match as fallback
 				if (partialIndex === -1) {
 					partialIndex = i;
 				}
+
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			// 3. Check for substring match (target appears anywhere in line with only whitespace after)
+			// This restores legacy behavior where selectors like "| ----- |" can match
+			// table separator rows where the target appears at the end
+			const targetIndex = line.indexOf(target);
+			if (targetIndex !== -1) {
+				const suffix = line.slice(targetIndex + target.length);
+				// If suffix is only whitespace, match this line
+				if (/^\s*$/.test(suffix)) return i;
+
+				// Remember first broader substring match as fallback
+				if (partialIndex === -1) {
+					partialIndex = i;
+				}
 			}
 		}