diff --git a/syntax/markdown.vim b/syntax/markdown.vim
index 0d82e237..1896af76 100644
--- a/syntax/markdown.vim
+++ b/syntax/markdown.vim
@@ -36,12 +36,11 @@ syntax case ignore
 syntax sync linebreaks=1
 
 " Additions to HTML groups
-syntax region htmlBold    start=/\\\@<!\(^\|\A\)\@=\*\@<!\*\*\*\@!\S/  end=/\S\\\@<!\*\@<!\*\*\*\@!\($\|\A\)\@=/  contains=htmlItalic,@Spell
+syntax region htmlBold    start=/\\\@<!\(^\|\A\)\@=\*\@<!\*\*\*\@!\S\@=/  end=/\S\\\@<!\*\@<!\*\*\*\@!\($\|\A\)\@=/  contains=htmlItalic,@Spell
 
-
-syntax region htmlItalic  start=/\\\@<!\(^\|\A\)\@=\*\@<!\*\*\@!\S/    end=/\S\\\@<!\*\@<!\*\*\@!\($\|\A\)\@=/    contains=htmlBold,@Spell
-syntax region htmlItalic  start=/\\\@<!\(^\|\A\)\@=\<_\@<!___\@!\S/      end=/\S\\\@<!_\@<!___\@!\($\|\A\)\@=/       contains=htmlBold,@Spell
-syntax region htmlItalic  start=/\\\@<!\(^\|\A\)\@=\<_\@<!__\@!\S/       end=/\S\\\@<!_\@<!__\@!\($\|\A\)\@=/       contains=htmlBold,@Spell
+syntax region htmlItalic  start=/\\\@<!\(^\|\A\)\@=\*\@<!\*\*\@!\S\@=/   end=/\S\\\@<!\*\@<!\*\*\@!\($\|\A\)\@=/    contains=htmlBold,@Spell
+syntax region htmlItalic  start=/\\\@<!\(^\|\A\)\@=\<_\@<!___\@!\S\@=/   end=/\S\\\@<!_\@<!___\@!\($\|\A\)\@=/       contains=htmlBold,@Spell
+syntax region htmlItalic  start=/\\\@<!\(^\|\A\)\@=\<_\@<!__\@!\S\@=/    end=/\S\\\@<!_\@<!__\@!\($\|\A\)\@=/       contains=htmlBold,@Spell
 
 " [link](URL) | [link][id] | [link][]
 syntax region mkdLink matchgroup=mkdDelimiter start="\!\?\["  end="\]\ze\s*[[(]" contains=@Spell nextgroup=mkdURL,mkdID skipwhite
@@ -68,8 +67,8 @@ syntax match  mkdListItem  /^\s*\d\+\.\s\+.*\n\(\(^.\+\n\)*\n\?\)\(\(^\(\s\{4}\|
 "
 syntax match  mkdBlockCode  /^\s*\n\(^\(\s\{4}\|\t\).*\n\)\+/
 syntax match  mkdListCode   /^\s*\n\(^\(\s\{8}\|\t{2}\).*\n\)\+/
-syntax match  mkdLineBreak /  \+$/
-syntax region mkdCode       start=/\\\@<!`/     end=/\\\@<!`/
+syntax match  mkdLineBreak  /  \+$/
+syntax region mkdCode       start=/\\\@<!`[^`]\@=/     end=/\\\@<![^`]`/
 syntax region mkdCode       start=/\s*``[^`]*/  end=/[^`]*``\s*/
 syntax region mkdBlockquote start=/^\s*>/       end=/$/           contains=mkdLineBreak,mkdLineContinue,@Spell
 syntax region mkdCode       start="<pre[^>]*>"  end="</pre>"