diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index daea36d8..c5caeed2 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1205,6 +1205,7 @@ version = "0.6.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "clap",
+ "regex",
  "xshell",
 ]
 
diff --git a/examples/memory_management/expected_output.txt b/examples/memory_management/expected_output.txt
index e92dd84d..b3d4846f 100644
--- a/examples/memory_management/expected_output.txt
+++ b/examples/memory_management/expected_output.txt
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Checkpoint 21
 PrintOnDrop(A) has been dropped
 Checkpoint 22
 
-thread '<unnamed>' panicked at examples/memory_management/src/lib.rs:30:9:
+thread '<unnamed>' ({{re:\d+}}) panicked at examples/memory_management/src/lib.rs:30:9:
 consume_and_panic executed with value B
 note: run with `RUST_BACKTRACE=1` environment variable to display a backtrace
 PrintOnDrop(B) has been dropped
diff --git a/examples/simple/expected_output.txt b/examples/simple/expected_output.txt
index 13c0d002..30bca2e3 100644
--- a/examples/simple/expected_output.txt
+++ b/examples/simple/expected_output.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 17
 s[2] = 7
 
-thread '<unnamed>' panicked at examples/simple/src/generated.rs:192:39:
+thread '<unnamed>' ({{re:\d+}}) panicked at examples/simple/src/generated.rs:192:39:
 called `Option::unwrap()` on a `None` value
 note: run with `RUST_BACKTRACE=1` environment variable to display a backtrace
 s[4] = Rust panic happened
diff --git a/xtask/Cargo.toml b/xtask/Cargo.toml
index 621b021b..1d3fcfa8 100644
--- a/xtask/Cargo.toml
+++ b/xtask/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ publish = false
 xshell = "0.2.7"
 anyhow = "1.0"
 clap = { version = "4.3.12", features = ["derive"] }
+regex = "1"
diff --git a/xtask/src/ci.rs b/xtask/src/ci.rs
index bf65b539..e5fb49db 100644
--- a/xtask/src/ci.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/ci.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-use anyhow::{Context, Result};
+use anyhow::{Context, Result, bail};
+use regex::Regex;
+use std::fs;
 use xshell::{Shell, cmd};
 
 fn check_crate(sh: &Shell) -> Result<()> {
@@ -34,8 +36,9 @@ fn check_examples(sh: &Shell, fix: bool) -> Result<()> {
         if fix {
             sh.copy_file("./actual_output.txt", "./expected_output.txt")?;
         }
-        cmd!(sh, "diff actual_output.txt expected_output.txt")
-            .run()
+        let expected_path = format!("examples/{}/expected_output.txt", example);
+        let actual_path = format!("examples/{}/actual_output.txt", example);
+        compare_expected_with_actual(&expected_path, &actual_path)
             .with_context(|| format!("Example `{example}` output differs from expected."))?;
         cmd!(sh, "cargo fmt --check")
             .run()
@@ -45,6 +48,60 @@ fn check_examples(sh: &Shell, fix: bool) -> Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Compare `expected_path` to `actual_path` line-by-line.
+/// Supports one extension in expected:
+///  - Inline regex placeholders: `{{re:...}}` which are treated as raw regex
+///    segments embedded within an otherwise literal line
+fn compare_expected_with_actual(expected_path: &str, actual_path: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    let expected = fs::read_to_string(expected_path)
+        .with_context(|| format!("Failed to read {expected_path}"))?;
+    let actual =
+        fs::read_to_string(actual_path).with_context(|| format!("Failed to read {actual_path}"))?;
+
+    let expected_lines: Vec<&str> = expected.lines().collect();
+    let actual_lines: Vec<&str> = actual.lines().collect();
+
+    if expected_lines.len() != actual_lines.len() {
+        bail!(
+            "Line count differs: expected {} lines, actual {} lines",
+            expected_lines.len(),
+            actual_lines.len()
+        );
+    }
+
+    for (idx, (exp, act)) in expected_lines.iter().zip(actual_lines.iter()).enumerate() {
+        let line_no = idx + 1;
+        // Escape literals, splice in `{{re:...}}` as raw regex
+        let mut pattern = String::new();
+        let mut rest = *exp;
+        while let Some(start) = rest.find("{{re:") {
+            let (head, tail) = rest.split_at(start);
+            pattern.push_str(&regex::escape(head));
+            if let Some(end) = tail.find("}}") {
+                let re_body = &tail[5..end]; // after '{{re:' up to before '}}'
+                pattern.push_str(re_body);
+                rest = &tail[end + 2..];
+            } else {
+                // No closing, treat literally
+                pattern.push_str(&regex::escape(tail));
+                rest = "";
+            }
+        }
+        pattern.push_str(&regex::escape(rest));
+        // Anchor the pattern to the full line
+        let anchored = format!("^{}$", pattern);
+        let re = Regex::new(&anchored)
+            .with_context(|| format!("Invalid constructed regex on expected line {line_no}"))?;
+        if !re.is_match(act) {
+            bail!(
+                "Line {line_no} differs.\n  expected: {exp}\n  actual:   {act}\n  pattern:  {anchored}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 pub fn main(fix: bool) -> Result<()> {
     let sh = &Shell::new()?;
     println!("Cargo version = {}", cmd!(sh, "cargo --version").read()?);