diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9147713..fc26b62 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -94,12 +94,10 @@ The paths `"src/js"` and `"./src/js"` behave the same.
 
 ### Custom rootPathPrefix
 
-If you don't like the `~` syntax you can use your own symbol (for example an `#` symbol or `\`). Using
+If you don't like the `~` syntax you can use your own symbol (for example an `#` symbol or `\` or anything you want). Using
 `@` is not recommended, as recent versions of NPM allow `@` in package names. `~` is the default since
 it's very unlikely to conflict with anything (and wouldn't be expanded to HOME anyway).
 
-This **must** be 1 or 2 characters. Any additional characters are ignored.
-
 ```javascript
 // 
 // Waiting this change: https://github.com/entwicklerstube/babel-plugin-root-import/pull/97
@@ -203,6 +201,10 @@ Sometimes tooling might not be up to scratch, meaning you lose features such as
 
 ## Change Log
 
+#### 6.2.0 - 2019-05-09
+
+- Remove the 2 characters restriction
+
 #### 6.1.0 - 2018-06-23
 
 - Supports babel 7
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ddad906..510b765 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "babel-plugin-root-import",
-  "version": "6.1.0",
+  "version": "6.2.0",
   "description": "Babel Plugin to enable relative root-import",
   "author": "Michael J. Zoidl <github@michaelzoidl.com>",
   "license": "MIT",
diff --git a/plugin/helper.js b/plugin/helper.js
index 5624ebc..751c5b0 100644
--- a/plugin/helper.js
+++ b/plugin/helper.js
@@ -1,33 +1,14 @@
 import slash from 'slash';
 import path from 'path';
-
 const root = slash(global.rootPath || process.cwd());
 
 export const hasRootPathPrefixInString = (importPath, rootPathPrefix = '~') => {
-  let containsRootPathPrefix = false;
-
-  if (typeof importPath === 'string') {
-    if (importPath.substring(0, 1) === rootPathPrefix) {
-      containsRootPathPrefix = true;
-    }
-
-    const firstTwoCharactersOfString = importPath.substring(0, 2);
-    if (firstTwoCharactersOfString === `${rootPathPrefix}/`) {
-      containsRootPathPrefix = true;
-    }
-  }
-
-  return containsRootPathPrefix;
+  return !!(typeof importPath === 'string' && importPath.indexOf(rootPathPrefix) === 0);
 };
 
 export const transformRelativeToRootPath = (importPath, rootPathSuffix, rootPathPrefix, sourceFile = '') => {
-  let withoutRootPathPrefix = '';
   if (hasRootPathPrefixInString(importPath, rootPathPrefix)) {
-    if (importPath.substring(0, 1) === '/') {
-      withoutRootPathPrefix = importPath.substring(1, importPath.length);
-    } else {
-      withoutRootPathPrefix = importPath.substring(2, importPath.length);
-    }
+    const withoutRootPathPrefix = importPath.replace(rootPathPrefix, '');
 
     const absolutePath = path.resolve(`${rootPathSuffix ? rootPathSuffix : './'}/${withoutRootPathPrefix}`);
     let sourcePath = sourceFile.substring(0, sourceFile.lastIndexOf('/'));
diff --git a/test/helper.spec.js b/test/helper.spec.js
index e1f1adf..89d3746 100644
--- a/test/helper.spec.js
+++ b/test/helper.spec.js
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ describe('helper#transformRelativeToRootPath', () => {
     expect(result).to.not.equal(`${path.resolve('../shared')}/util/test/../test/test.js`);
   });
 
+  it('works with long prefix and special characters', () => {
+    const rootPath = slash('./path');
+    const result = transformRelativeToRootPath('common$^plop/some/path', '', 'common$^plop', 'some/file.js');
+    expect(result).to.equal(rootPath);
+  });
+
   it('throws error if no string is passed', () => {
     expect(() => {
       transformRelativeToRootPath();
@@ -49,6 +55,13 @@ describe('helper#hasRootPathPrefixInString', () => {
     expect(withRootPathPrefix).to.be.true;
   });
 
+  it('check if "common" is at the beginning of the string', () => {
+    const withoutRootPathPrefix = hasRootPathPrefixInString('some/path', 'common');
+    const withRootPathPrefix = hasRootPathPrefixInString('common/some/path', 'common');
+    expect(withoutRootPathPrefix).to.be.false;
+    expect(withRootPathPrefix).to.be.true;
+  });
+
   it('returns false if no string is passed', () => {
     const nothingPassed = hasRootPathPrefixInString();
     const wrongTypePassed = hasRootPathPrefixInString([]);