diff --git a/lib/messages/search-request.js b/lib/messages/search-request.js
index cf342ba..3330fe7 100644
--- a/lib/messages/search-request.js
+++ b/lib/messages/search-request.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const isValidAttributeString = str => {
     return true
   }
   // ascii attribute names
-  if (/^[a-zA-Z][\w\d.;-]+$/.test(str) === true) {
+  if (/^[a-zA-Z][\w\d.;-]*$/.test(str) === true) {
     return true
   }
   return false
diff --git a/lib/messages/search-request.test.js b/lib/messages/search-request.test.js
index 0eea8d2..0c1a130 100644
--- a/lib/messages/search-request.test.js
+++ b/lib/messages/search-request.test.js
@@ -100,6 +100,13 @@ tap.test('.attributes', t => {
     )
   })
 
+  t.test('supports single character names (issue #2)', async t => {
+    const req = new SearchRequest({
+      attributes: ['a']
+    })
+    t.strictSame(req.attributes, ['a'])
+  })
+
   t.end()
 })