diff --git a/syntax/markdown.vim b/syntax/markdown.vim
index fa28abf..107bf11 100644
--- a/syntax/markdown.vim
+++ b/syntax/markdown.vim
@@ -61,12 +61,12 @@ syn match markdownH2 "^.\+\n-\+$" contained contains=@markdownInline,markdownHea
 
 syn match markdownHeadingRule "^[=-]\+$" contained
 
-syn region markdownH1 matchgroup=markdownH1Delimiter start="##\@!"      end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
-syn region markdownH2 matchgroup=markdownH2Delimiter start="###\@!"     end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
-syn region markdownH3 matchgroup=markdownH3Delimiter start="####\@!"    end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
-syn region markdownH4 matchgroup=markdownH4Delimiter start="#####\@!"   end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
-syn region markdownH5 matchgroup=markdownH5Delimiter start="######\@!"  end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
-syn region markdownH6 matchgroup=markdownH6Delimiter start="#######\@!" end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
+syn region markdownH1 matchgroup=markdownH1Delimiter start=" \{,3}#\s"      end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
+syn region markdownH2 matchgroup=markdownH2Delimiter start=" \{,3}##\s"     end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
+syn region markdownH3 matchgroup=markdownH3Delimiter start=" \{,3}###\s"    end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
+syn region markdownH4 matchgroup=markdownH4Delimiter start=" \{,3}####\s"   end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
+syn region markdownH5 matchgroup=markdownH5Delimiter start=" \{,3}#####\s"  end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
+syn region markdownH6 matchgroup=markdownH6Delimiter start=" \{,3}######\s" end="#*\s*$" keepend oneline contains=@markdownInline,markdownAutomaticLink contained
 
 syn match markdownBlockquote ">\%(\s\|$\)" contained nextgroup=@markdownBlock