diff --git a/doc/rewriting-services.md b/doc/rewriting-services.md
index aa78113332..54c256a34e 100644
--- a/doc/rewriting-services.md
+++ b/doc/rewriting-services.md
@@ -89,10 +89,7 @@ tests are passing, though.
    the route using a `pattern`. A `pattern` (e.g. `pattern: ':param1/:param2'`) is
    the simplest way to declare the route, also the most readable, and will be
    useful for displaying a badge builder with fields in the front end and
-   generating badge URLs programmatically. One limitation to keep in mind is that,
-   at present, the trailing parameter of a pattern can't be optional. If the last
-   part of a route is optional, like a branch, you will need to use a `format`
-   regex string (e.g. `format: '([^/]+/[^/]+)'`).
+   generating badge URLs programmatically.
 
 3. When creating the initial route, you can stub out the service. A minimal
    service extends BaseJsonService (or BaseService, or one of the others), and
@@ -264,13 +261,7 @@ In either case, the service should throw e.g
 
 ## Convert the examples
 
-1. Convert all the examples to `pattern`, `namedParams`, and
-   `staticPreview`. In some cases you can use the `pattern` inherited
-   from `route`, though in other cases you may need to specify a pattern
-   in the example. For example, when showing download badges for several
-   periods, you may want to render the example with an explicit `dt`
-   instead of `:which`. You will also need to specify a pattern for badges
-   that use a `format` regex in the route.
+1. Convert all the examples to `pattern`, `namedParams`, and `staticExample`. In some cases you can use the `pattern` inherited from `route`, though in other cases you may need to specify a pattern in the example. For example, when showing download badges for several periods, you may want to render the example with an explicit `dt` instead of `:which`. You will also need to specify a pattern for badges that use a `format` regex in the route.
 
 2. Open the frontend and check that the static preview badges look good.
    Remember, none of them are live.
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 906b4380f1..6066bddc07 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -12280,9 +12280,8 @@
       "dev": true
     },
     "path-to-regexp": {
-      "version": "2.4.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/path-to-regexp/-/path-to-regexp-2.4.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-G6zHoVqC6GGTQkZwF4lkuEyMbVOjoBKAEybQUypI1WTkqinCOrq2x6U2+phkJ1XsEMTy4LjtwPI7HW+NVrRR2w=="
+      "version": "github:pillarjs/path-to-regexp#a33e7b7a5225ff7d301961a89439e9874674cbfa",
+      "from": "github:pillarjs/path-to-regexp#a33e7b7a5225ff7d301961a89439e9874674cbfa"
     },
     "path-type": {
       "version": "2.0.0",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 21967277e8..da6f360a76 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     "lodash.times": "^4.3.2",
     "moment": "^2.23.0",
     "node-env-flag": "^0.1.0",
-    "path-to-regexp": "^2.4.0",
+    "path-to-regexp": "pillarjs/path-to-regexp#a33e7b7a5225ff7d301961a89439e9874674cbfa",
     "pretty-bytes": "^5.0.0",
     "priorityqueuejs": "^1.0.0",
     "prom-client": "^11.2.1",
diff --git a/services/appveyor/appveyor-base.js b/services/appveyor/appveyor-base.js
index 4899a4ffdd..e7a82a628e 100644
--- a/services/appveyor/appveyor-base.js
+++ b/services/appveyor/appveyor-base.js
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ module.exports = class AppVeyorBase extends BaseJsonService {
     return 'build'
   }
 
-  async fetch({ repo, branch }) {
-    let url = `https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/${repo}`
+  async fetch({ user, repo, branch }) {
+    let url = `https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/${user}/${repo}`
     if (branch != null) {
       url += `/branch/${branch}`
     }
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@ module.exports = class AppVeyorBase extends BaseJsonService {
   static buildRoute(base) {
     return {
       base,
-      format: '([^/]+/[^/]+)(?:/(.+))?',
-      capture: ['repo', 'branch'],
+      pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch*',
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/services/appveyor/appveyor-ci.service.js b/services/appveyor/appveyor-ci.service.js
index 5ebd4b57a3..b712a8da73 100644
--- a/services/appveyor/appveyor-ci.service.js
+++ b/services/appveyor/appveyor-ci.service.js
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ module.exports = class AppVeyorCi extends AppVeyorBase {
     }
   }
 
-  async handle({ repo, branch }) {
-    const data = await this.fetch({ repo, branch })
+  async handle({ user, repo, branch }) {
+    const data = await this.fetch({ user, repo, branch })
     if (!data.hasOwnProperty('build')) {
       // this project exists but no builds have been run on it yet
       return this.constructor.render({ status: 'no builds found' })
diff --git a/services/appveyor/appveyor-tests.service.js b/services/appveyor/appveyor-tests.service.js
index ec387d695c..c3816e3dca 100644
--- a/services/appveyor/appveyor-tests.service.js
+++ b/services/appveyor/appveyor-tests.service.js
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ module.exports = class AppVeyorTests extends AppVeyorBase {
   }
 
   async handle(
-    { repo, branch },
+    { user, repo, branch },
     {
       compact_message: compactMessage,
       passed_label: passedLabel,
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ module.exports = class AppVeyorTests extends AppVeyorBase {
     }
   ) {
     const isCompact = compactMessage !== undefined
-    const data = await this.fetch({ repo, branch })
+    const data = await this.fetch({ user, repo, branch })
 
     if (!data.hasOwnProperty('build')) {
       return { message: 'no builds found' }
diff --git a/services/azure-devops/azure-devops-coverage.service.js b/services/azure-devops/azure-devops-coverage.service.js
index d28528f28e..bec3dc0547 100644
--- a/services/azure-devops/azure-devops-coverage.service.js
+++ b/services/azure-devops/azure-devops-coverage.service.js
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ module.exports = class AzureDevOpsCoverage extends AzureDevOpsBase {
       },
       {
         title: 'Azure DevOps coverage (branch)',
-        pattern: ':organization/:project/:definitionId/:branch',
+        pattern: ':organization/:project/:definitionId/:branch*',
         namedParams: {
           organization: 'swellaby',
           project: 'opensource',
@@ -96,8 +96,7 @@ module.exports = class AzureDevOpsCoverage extends AzureDevOpsBase {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'azure-devops/coverage',
-      format: '([^/]+)/([^/]+)/([^/]+)(?:/(.+))?',
-      capture: ['organization', 'project', 'definitionId', 'branch'],
+      pattern: ':organization/:project/:definitionId/:branch*',
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/services/azure-devops/azure-devops-tests.service.js b/services/azure-devops/azure-devops-tests.service.js
index ed0b5a21f8..13c0866b9d 100644
--- a/services/azure-devops/azure-devops-tests.service.js
+++ b/services/azure-devops/azure-devops-tests.service.js
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ module.exports = class AzureDevOpsTests extends AzureDevOpsBase {
       },
       {
         title: 'Azure DevOps tests (branch)',
-        pattern: ':organization/:project/:definitionId/:branch',
+        pattern: ':organization/:project/:definitionId/:branch*',
         namedParams: {
           organization: 'azuredevops-powershell',
           project: 'azuredevops-powershell',
@@ -176,8 +176,7 @@ module.exports = class AzureDevOpsTests extends AzureDevOpsBase {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'azure-devops/tests',
-      format: '([^/]+)/([^/]+)/([^/]+)(?:/(.+))?',
-      capture: ['organization', 'project', 'definitionId', 'branch'],
+      pattern: ':organization/:project/:definitionId/:branch*',
       queryParams: [
         'compact_message',
         'passed_label',
diff --git a/services/date/date.service.js b/services/date/date.service.js
index 45ff62b22e..333254fa6c 100644
--- a/services/date/date.service.js
+++ b/services/date/date.service.js
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@ module.exports = class Date extends BaseService {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'date',
-      format: '([0-9]+)',
-      capture: ['timestamp'],
+      pattern: ':timestamp([0-9]+)',
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/services/github/github-manifest.service.js b/services/github/github-manifest.service.js
index 5a617e8a77..3d4e518dc5 100644
--- a/services/github/github-manifest.service.js
+++ b/services/github/github-manifest.service.js
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@ class GithubManifestVersion extends ConditionalGithubAuthService {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'github/manifest-json/v',
-      format: '([^/]+)/([^/]+)/?([^/]+)?',
-      capture: ['user', 'repo', 'branch'],
+      pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch*',
     }
   }
 
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ class GithubManifestVersion extends ConditionalGithubAuthService {
       },
       {
         title: 'GitHub manifest version',
-        pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch',
+        pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch*',
         namedParams: {
           user: 'RedSparr0w',
           repo: 'IndieGala-Helper',
diff --git a/services/github/github-package-json.service.js b/services/github/github-package-json.service.js
index a91e9b2e7f..87ad2276c5 100644
--- a/services/github/github-package-json.service.js
+++ b/services/github/github-package-json.service.js
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ class GithubPackageJsonVersion extends ConditionalGithubAuthService {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'github/package-json/v',
-      format: '([^/]+)/([^/]+)/?([^/]+)?',
-      capture: ['user', 'repo', 'branch'],
+      pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch*',
     }
   }
 
@@ -38,8 +37,8 @@ class GithubPackageJsonVersion extends ConditionalGithubAuthService {
         documentation,
       },
       {
-        title: 'GitHub package.json version',
-        pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch',
+        title: 'GitHub package.json version (branch)',
+        pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch*',
         namedParams: {
           user: 'IcedFrisby',
           repo: 'IcedFrisby',
@@ -102,7 +101,7 @@ class DynamicGithubPackageJson extends ConditionalGithubAuthService {
       },
       {
         title: 'GitHub package.json dynamic',
-        pattern: ':key/:user/:repo/:branch',
+        pattern: ':key/:user/:repo/:branch*',
         namedParams: {
           key: 'keywords',
           user: 'developit',
diff --git a/services/gitlab/gitlab-pipeline-status.service.js b/services/gitlab/gitlab-pipeline-status.service.js
index f9d812b17a..7212e14f84 100644
--- a/services/gitlab/gitlab-pipeline-status.service.js
+++ b/services/gitlab/gitlab-pipeline-status.service.js
@@ -24,11 +24,7 @@ module.exports = class GitlabPipelineStatus extends BaseSvgScrapingService {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'gitlab/pipeline',
-      format: '([^/]+)/([^/]+)(?:/([^/]+))?',
-      capture: ['user', 'repo', 'branch'],
-      // Trailing optional parameters don't work. The issue relates to the `.`
-      // separator before the extension.
-      // pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch?',
+      pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch*',
       queryParams: ['gitlab_url'],
     }
   }
@@ -43,7 +39,7 @@ module.exports = class GitlabPipelineStatus extends BaseSvgScrapingService {
       },
       {
         title: 'Gitlab pipeline status (branch)',
-        pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch',
+        pattern: ':user/:repo/:branch*',
         namedParams: {
           user: 'gitlab-org',
           repo: 'gitlab-ce',
diff --git a/services/jenkins/jenkins-plugin-installs.service.js b/services/jenkins/jenkins-plugin-installs.service.js
index 2f20c945b6..ccf6137bfb 100644
--- a/services/jenkins/jenkins-plugin-installs.service.js
+++ b/services/jenkins/jenkins-plugin-installs.service.js
@@ -98,8 +98,7 @@ class JenkinsPluginInstalls extends BaseJsonService {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'jenkins/plugin/i',
-      format: '([^/]+)/?([^/]+)?',
-      capture: ['plugin', 'version'],
+      pattern: ':plugin/:version?',
     }
   }
 
@@ -117,7 +116,7 @@ class JenkinsPluginInstalls extends BaseJsonService {
         }),
       },
       {
-        title: 'Jenkins Plugin installs',
+        title: 'Jenkins Plugin installs (version)',
         pattern: ':plugin/:version',
         namedParams: {
           plugin: 'view-job-filters',
diff --git a/services/matrix/matrix.service.js b/services/matrix/matrix.service.js
index c494431711..00745a5090 100644
--- a/services/matrix/matrix.service.js
+++ b/services/matrix/matrix.service.js
@@ -191,8 +191,7 @@ module.exports = class Matrix extends BaseJsonService {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'matrix',
-      format: '([^/]+)',
-      capture: ['roomAlias'],
+      pattern: ':roomAlias',
       queryParams: ['server_fqdn'],
     }
   }
diff --git a/services/npm/npm-base.js b/services/npm/npm-base.js
index ac19ad6583..af016a2782 100644
--- a/services/npm/npm-base.js
+++ b/services/npm/npm-base.js
@@ -49,9 +49,7 @@ module.exports = class NpmBase extends BaseJsonService {
     if (withTag) {
       return {
         base,
-        // The trailing optional means this has to be a regex.
-        format: '(?:(@[^/]+)/)?([^/]*)/?([^/]*)',
-        capture: ['scope', 'packageName', 'tag'],
+        pattern: ':scope(@[^/]+)?/:packageName/:tag?',
         queryParams: ['registry_uri'],
       }
     } else {
diff --git a/services/readthedocs/readthedocs.service.js b/services/readthedocs/readthedocs.service.js
index 451123fdc9..3952f16503 100644
--- a/services/readthedocs/readthedocs.service.js
+++ b/services/readthedocs/readthedocs.service.js
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ module.exports = class ReadTheDocs extends BaseSvgScrapingService {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'readthedocs',
-      format: '([^/]+)(?:/(.+))?',
-      capture: ['project', 'version'],
+      pattern: ':project/:version?',
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/services/requires/requires.service.js b/services/requires/requires.service.js
index 0394f41150..2983ac63ac 100644
--- a/services/requires/requires.service.js
+++ b/services/requires/requires.service.js
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ module.exports = class RequiresIo extends BaseJsonService {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'requires',
-      format: '([^/]+)/([^/]+/[^/]+)(?:/(.+))?',
-      capture: ['service', 'repo', 'branch'],
+      pattern: ':service/:user/:repo/:branch*',
     }
   }
 
@@ -20,13 +19,13 @@ module.exports = class RequiresIo extends BaseJsonService {
     return { label: 'requirements' }
   }
 
-  async handle({ service, repo, branch }) {
-    const { status } = await this.fetch({ service, repo, branch })
+  async handle({ service, user, repo, branch }) {
+    const { status } = await this.fetch({ service, user, repo, branch })
     return this.constructor.render({ status })
   }
 
-  async fetch({ service, repo, branch }) {
-    const url = `https://requires.io/api/v1/status/${service}/${repo}`
+  async fetch({ service, user, repo, branch }) {
+    const url = `https://requires.io/api/v1/status/${service}/${user}/${repo}`
     return this._requestJson({
       url,
       schema: statusSchema,
diff --git a/services/shippable/shippable.service.js b/services/shippable/shippable.service.js
index bb1470d4ee..fe77b9c315 100644
--- a/services/shippable/shippable.service.js
+++ b/services/shippable/shippable.service.js
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ module.exports = class Shippable extends BaseJsonService {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'shippable',
-      format: '([^/]+)(?:/(.+))?',
-      capture: ['projectId', 'branch'],
+      pattern: ':projectId/:branch*',
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/services/snyk/snyk-vulnerability-github.service.js b/services/snyk/snyk-vulnerability-github.service.js
index 7abb04ca8a..878584ae7f 100644
--- a/services/snyk/snyk-vulnerability-github.service.js
+++ b/services/snyk/snyk-vulnerability-github.service.js
@@ -6,8 +6,7 @@ module.exports = class SnykVulnerabilityGitHub extends SynkVulnerabilityBase {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: 'snyk/vulnerabilities/github',
-      format: '([^/]+)/([^/]+)(?:/(.+))?',
-      capture: ['user', 'repo', 'manifestFilePath'],
+      pattern: ':user/:repo/:manifestFilePath*',
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/services/wordpress/wordpress-downloads.service.js b/services/wordpress/wordpress-downloads.service.js
index 3708662703..89bbc7db93 100644
--- a/services/wordpress/wordpress-downloads.service.js
+++ b/services/wordpress/wordpress-downloads.service.js
@@ -89,8 +89,7 @@ function InstallsForExtensionType(extensionType) {
     static get route() {
       return {
         base: `wordpress/${extensionType}/installs`,
-        format: '(.+)',
-        capture: ['slug'],
+        pattern: ':slug',
       }
     }
 
@@ -98,7 +97,6 @@ function InstallsForExtensionType(extensionType) {
       return [
         {
           title: `Wordpress ${capt} Active Installs`,
-          pattern: ':slug',
           namedParams: { slug: exampleSlug },
           staticPreview: this.render({ response: { active_installs: 300000 } }),
         },
@@ -143,8 +141,7 @@ function DownloadsForInterval(interval) {
     static get route() {
       return {
         base,
-        format: '(.*)',
-        capture: ['slug'],
+        pattern: ':slug',
       }
     }
 
@@ -152,7 +149,6 @@ function DownloadsForInterval(interval) {
       return [
         {
           title: 'WordPress Plugin Downloads',
-          pattern: ':slug',
           namedParams: { slug: 'bbpress' },
           staticPreview: this.render({ downloads: 30000 }),
         },
diff --git a/services/wordpress/wordpress-platform.service.js b/services/wordpress/wordpress-platform.service.js
index 59a104f6c2..3e1efe412c 100644
--- a/services/wordpress/wordpress-platform.service.js
+++ b/services/wordpress/wordpress-platform.service.js
@@ -114,8 +114,7 @@ class WordpressPluginTestedVersion extends BaseWordpressPlatform {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: `wordpress/plugin/tested`,
-      format: '(.+)',
-      capture: ['slug'],
+      pattern: ':slug',
     }
   }
 
@@ -136,8 +135,7 @@ class WordpressPluginTestedVersionAlias extends WordpressPluginTestedVersion {
   static get route() {
     return {
       base: `wordpress/v`,
-      format: '(.+)',
-      capture: ['slug'],
+      pattern: ':slug',
     }
   }