diff --git a/src/validators/url.py b/src/validators/url.py
index 16698b1f..00df3d63 100644
--- a/src/validators/url.py
+++ b/src/validators/url.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # standard
 from functools import lru_cache
 import re
-from urllib.parse import unquote, urlsplit
+from urllib.parse import parse_qs, unquote, urlsplit
 
 # local
 from .hostname import hostname
@@ -34,11 +34,6 @@ def _path_regex():
     )
 
 
-@lru_cache
-def _query_regex():
-    return re.compile(r"&?(\w+=?[^\s&]*)", re.IGNORECASE)
-
-
 def _validate_scheme(value: str):
     """Validate scheme."""
     # More schemes will be considered later.
@@ -108,16 +103,16 @@ def _validate_netloc(
     ) and _validate_auth_segment(basic_auth)
 
 
-def _validate_optionals(path: str, query: str, fragment: str):
+def _validate_optionals(path: str, query: str, fragment: str, strict_query: bool):
     """Validate path query and fragments."""
     optional_segments = True
     if path:
         optional_segments &= bool(_path_regex().match(path))
-    if query:
-        optional_segments &= bool(_query_regex().match(query))
+    if query and parse_qs(query, strict_parsing=strict_query):
+        optional_segments &= True
     if fragment:
         fragment = fragment.lstrip("/") if fragment.startswith("/") else fragment
-        optional_segments &= all(char_to_avoid not in fragment for char_to_avoid in ("/", "?"))
+        optional_segments &= all(char_to_avoid not in fragment for char_to_avoid in ("?",))
     return optional_segments
 
 
@@ -130,6 +125,7 @@ def url(
     skip_ipv4_addr: bool = False,
     may_have_port: bool = True,
     simple_host: bool = False,
+    strict_query: bool = True,
     rfc_1034: bool = False,
     rfc_2782: bool = False,
 ):
@@ -167,6 +163,8 @@ def url(
             URL string may contain port number.
         simple_host:
             URL string maybe only hyphens and alpha-numerals.
+        strict_query:
+            Fail validation on query string parsing error.
         rfc_1034:
             Allow trailing dot in domain/host name.
             Ref: [RFC 1034](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc1034).
@@ -214,5 +212,5 @@ def url(
             rfc_1034,
             rfc_2782,
         )
-        and _validate_optionals(path, query, fragment)
+        and _validate_optionals(path, query, fragment, strict_query)
     )
diff --git a/tests/test_url.py b/tests/test_url.py
index 62332f5a..558d50ce 100644
--- a/tests/test_url.py
+++ b/tests/test_url.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
         "http://foo.com/blah_blah_(wikipedia)",
         "http://foo.com/blah_blah_(wikipedia)_(again)",
         "http://www.example.com/wpstyle/?p=364",
-        "https://www.example.com/foo/?bar=baz&inga=42&quux",
         "https://www.example.com?bar=baz",
         "http://✪df.ws/123",
         "http://userid:password@example.com:8080",
@@ -85,12 +84,18 @@
         "http://:::::::::::::@exmp.com",
         "http://-.~_!$&'()*+,;=:%40:80%2f::::::@example.com",
         "https://exchange.jetswap.finance/#/swap",
+        "https://www.foo.com/bar#/baz/test",
         # when simple_host=True
         # "http://localhost",
         # "http://localhost:8000",
         # "http://pc:8081/",
         # "http://3628126748",
         # "http://foobar",
+        # when strict_query=False
+        # "https://www.example.com/foo/?bar=baz&inga=42&quux",
+        # "https://foo.bar.net/baz.php?-/inga/test-lenient-query/",
+        # "https://foo.com/img/bar/baz.jpg?-62169987208",
+        # "https://example.com/foo/?bar#!baz/inga/8SA-M3as7A8",
     ],
 )
 def test_returns_true_on_valid_url(value: str):
@@ -144,6 +149,10 @@ def test_returns_true_on_valid_url(value: str):
         "http://[2010:836B:4179::836B:4179",
         "http://2010:836B:4179::836B:4179",
         "http://2010:836B:4179::836B:4179:80/index.html",
+        "https://www.example.com/foo/?bar=baz&inga=42&quux",
+        "https://foo.com/img/bar/baz.jpg?-62169987208",
+        "https://foo.bar.net/baz.php?-/inga/test-lenient-query/",
+        "https://example.com/foo/?bar#!baz/inga/8SA-M3as7A8",
         "http://0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00."
         + "00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00."
         + "00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00."