diff --git a/checkers/misc.py b/checkers/misc.py
index d1b7c2162..45ed348b4 100644
--- a/checkers/misc.py
+++ b/checkers/misc.py
@@ -32,10 +32,11 @@ MSGS = {
               'Used when a source line cannot be decoded using the specified '
               'source file encoding.',
               {'maxversion': (3, 0)}),
-    }
+}
 
 
 class EncodingChecker(BaseChecker):
+
     """checks for:
     * warning notes in the code like FIXME, XXX
     * encoding issues.
@@ -47,17 +48,17 @@ class EncodingChecker(BaseChecker):
     msgs = MSGS
 
     options = (('notes',
-                {'type' : 'csv', 'metavar' : '<comma separated values>',
-                 'default' : ('FIXME', 'XXX', 'TODO'),
-                 'help' : 'List of note tags to take in consideration, \
-separated by a comma.'
-                 }),
-               )
+                {'type': 'csv', 'metavar': '<comma separated values>',
+                 'default': ('FIXME', 'XXX', 'TODO'),
+                 'help': ('List of note tags to take in consideration, '
+                          'separated by a comma.')}),)
 
     def _check_note(self, notes, lineno, line):
-        match = notes.search(line)
-        if match:
-            self.add_message('fixme', args=line[match.start():-1], line=lineno)
+        for note in notes:
+            match = note.search(line)
+            if not match:
+                continue
+            self.add_message('fixme', args=match.group(1).strip(), line=lineno)
 
     def _check_encoding(self, lineno, line, file_encoding):
         try:
@@ -71,19 +72,22 @@ separated by a comma.'
         notes
         """
         stream = module.file_stream
-        stream.seek(0) # XXX may be removed with astroid > 0.23
+        stream.seek(0)  # XXX may be removed with astroid > 0.23
         if self.config.notes:
-            notes = re.compile('|'.join(self.config.notes))
+            notes = [re.compile(r'.*?#\s+({}:*\s*.+)'.format(note))
+                     for note in self.config.notes]
         else:
             notes = None
         if module.file_encoding:
             encoding = module.file_encoding
         else:
             encoding = 'ascii'
+
         for lineno, line in enumerate(stream):
-            line = self._check_encoding(lineno+1, line, encoding)
+            line = self._check_encoding(lineno + 1, line, encoding)
             if line is not None and notes:
-                self._check_note(notes, lineno+1, line)
+                self._check_note(notes, lineno + 1, line)
+
 
 def register(linter):
     """required method to auto register this checker"""
diff --git a/test/input/func_fixme.py b/test/input/func_fixme.py
index b6371f1ea..7bd665312 100644
--- a/test/input/func_fixme.py
+++ b/test/input/func_fixme.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 """docstring"""
-
+# pylint: disable=W0612
 __revision__ = ''
 
 # FIXME: beep
 
+
 def function():
     '''XXX:bop'''
-
+    variable = "FIXME: Ignore me!"
+    test = "text"  # FIXME: Valid test
diff --git a/test/messages/func_fixme.txt b/test/messages/func_fixme.txt
index 2544ce8f4..c114e7982 100644
--- a/test/messages/func_fixme.txt
+++ b/test/messages/func_fixme.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 W:  5: FIXME: beep
-W:  8: XXX:bop'''
+W: 11: FIXME: Valid test
\ No newline at end of file