diff --git a/subscription/subscription.go b/subscription/subscription.go
index 8b059ba..4146f51 100644
--- a/subscription/subscription.go
+++ b/subscription/subscription.go
@@ -123,12 +123,9 @@ func (s *SubscriptionTreeNode) matchSubscriptions(fields []string) []*Subscripti
 	}
 
 	field := fields[0]
-	if field == "#" || field == "+" {
-		// TODO handle gracefully
-		panic("Wildcard in topic")
-	}
 
-	if child, exists := s.children[field]; exists {
+	                                                 // this goes against the spec but I'm lazy so let's just be sane but not really correct
+	if child, exists := s.children[field]; exists && field != "+" && field != "#"  {
 		sub = append(sub, child.matchSubscriptions(fields[1:])...)
 	}
 	s.NodeLock.RUnlock()