diff --git a/src/diamond/metric.py b/src/diamond/metric.py
index b3d606bc9..6ba177aba 100644
--- a/src/diamond/metric.py
+++ b/src/diamond/metric.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def parse(cls, string):
         Parse a string and create a metric
         """
         match = re.match(r'^(?P<name>[A-Za-z0-9\.\-_]+)\s+'
-                         + '\(?P<value>[0-9\.]+)\s+'
+                         + '(?P<value>[0-9\.]+)\s+'
                          + '(?P<timestamp>[0-9\.]+)(\n?)$',
                          string)
         try:
diff --git a/src/diamond/test/testmetric.py b/src/diamond/test/testmetric.py
index 77c4a2e4d..649bcacfb 100644
--- a/src/diamond/test/testmetric.py
+++ b/src/diamond/test/testmetric.py
@@ -84,6 +84,15 @@ def testgetMetricPathHostNone(self):
         message = 'Actual %s, expected %s' % (actual_value, expected_value)
         self.assertEqual(actual_value, expected_value, message)
 
+    def test_parse(self):
+        metric = Metric('test.parse', 0)
+
+        actual_value = str(metric).strip()
+        expected_value = str(Metric.parse(actual_value)).strip()
+
+        message = 'Actual %s, expected %s' % (actual_value, expected_value)
+        self.assertEqual(actual_value, expected_value, message)
+
     def test_issue_723(self):
         metrics = [
             9.97143369909e-05,