diff --git a/syntax/markdown.vim b/syntax/markdown.vim
index aad3009..0a13308 100644
--- a/syntax/markdown.vim
+++ b/syntax/markdown.vim
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ syn region markdownAutomaticLink matchgroup=markdownUrlDelimiter start="<\%(\w\+
 
 syn region markdownItalic start="\S\@<=\*\|\*\S\@=" end="\S\@<=\*\|\*\S\@=" keepend contains=markdownLineStart
 syn region markdownItalic start="\S\@<=_\|_\S\@=" end="\S\@<=_\|_\S\@=" keepend contains=markdownLineStart
-syn region markdownBold start="\S\@<=\*\*\|\*\*\S\@=" end="\S\@<=\*\*\|\*\*\S\@=" keepend contains=markdownLineStart
-syn region markdownBold start="\S\@<=__\|__\S\@=" end="\S\@<=__\|__\S\@=" keepend contains=markdownLineStart
+syn region markdownBold start="\S\@<=\*\*\|\*\*\S\@=" end="\S\@<=\*\*\|\*\*\S\@=" keepend contains=markdownLineStart,markdownItalic
+syn region markdownBold start="\S\@<=__\|__\S\@=" end="\S\@<=__\|__\S\@=" keepend contains=markdownLineStart,markdownItalic
 syn region markdownBoldItalic start="\S\@<=\*\*\*\|\*\*\*\S\@=" end="\S\@<=\*\*\*\|\*\*\*\S\@=" keepend contains=markdownLineStart
 syn region markdownBoldItalic start="\S\@<=___\|___\S\@=" end="\S\@<=___\|___\S\@=" keepend contains=markdownLineStart
 syn region markdownCode matchgroup=markdownCodeDelimiter start="`" end="`" keepend contains=markdownLineStart