diff --git a/submodules.nix b/submodules.nix
index b7a1a35..b956dac 100644
--- a/submodules.nix
+++ b/submodules.nix
@@ -92,12 +92,14 @@ let
     parentConfig = config;
   };
 
-  findModule = {name, version ? null, latest ? true}: let
-    versionPrefix = head (splitString [".x"] version);
-
+  findSubmodule = {name, version ? null, latest ? true}: let
     matchingSubmodules = filter (el:
       el.definition.name == name &&
-      (if version != null then hasPrefix versionPrefix el.definition.version else true)
+      (if version != null then
+        if hasPrefix "~" version
+        then (builtins.match (removePrefix "~" version) el.definition.version) != null
+        else el.definition.version == version
+      else true)
     ) cfg.imports;
 
     versionSortedSubmodules = sort (s1: s2:
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ in {
       description = "Attribute set of submodule instances";
       type = types.attrsOf (types.submodule ({name, config, ...}: let
         # submodule associated with
-        submodule = findModule {
+        submodule = findSubmodule {
           name = config.submodule;
           version = config.version;
         };
@@ -216,7 +218,10 @@ in {
           };
 
           version = mkOption {
-            description = "Version of submodule to use";
+            description = ''
+              Version of submodule to use, if version starts with "~" it is
+              threated as regex pattern for example "~1.0.*"
+            '';
             type = types.nullOr types.str;
             default = null;
           };
diff --git a/tests/default.nix b/tests/default.nix
index 23ce2e3..60ab3f6 100644
--- a/tests/default.nix
+++ b/tests/default.nix
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ let
           ./istio/bookinfo.nix
           ./submodules/simple.nix
           ./submodules/defaults.nix
+          ./submodules/versioning.nix
         ];
         testing.defaults = ({kubenix, ...}: {
           imports = [kubenix.k8s];
diff --git a/tests/submodules/versioning.nix b/tests/submodules/versioning.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5fde23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/submodules/versioning.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+{ name, config, lib, kubenix, ... }:
+
+with lib;
+
+let
+  inst-exact = config.submodules.instances.inst-exact.config;
+  inst-regex = config.submodules.instances.inst-regex.config;
+  inst-latest = config.submodules.instances.inst-latest.config;
+
+  submodule = {
+    config.submodule.name = "subm";
+
+    options.version = mkOption {
+      type = types.str;
+      default = "undefined";
+    };
+  };
+in {
+  imports = [
+    kubenix.submodules
+  ];
+
+  test = {
+    name = "submodules-imports";
+    description = "Submodules imports tests";
+    assertions = [{
+      message = "should select exact version";
+      assertion = inst-exact.version == "1.1.0";
+    } {
+      message = "should select regex version";
+      assertion = inst-regex.version == "1.2.1";
+    } {
+      message = "should select latest version";
+      assertion = inst-latest.version == "1.2.1";
+    }];
+  };
+
+  submodules.imports = [{
+    modules = [{
+      config.submodule.version = "1.0.0";
+      config.version = "1.0.0";
+    } submodule];
+  } {
+    modules = [{
+      config.submodule.version = "1.1.0";
+      config.version = "1.1.0";
+    } submodule];
+  } {
+    modules = [{
+      config.submodule.version = "1.2.0";
+      config.version = "1.2.0";
+    } submodule];
+  } {
+    modules = [{
+      config.submodule.version = "1.2.1";
+      config.version = "1.2.1";
+    } submodule];
+  }];
+
+  submodules.instances.inst-exact = {
+    submodule = "subm";
+    version = "1.1.0";
+  };
+
+  submodules.instances.inst-regex = {
+    submodule = "subm";
+    version = "~1.2.*";
+  };
+
+  submodules.instances.inst-latest.submodule = "subm";
+}