diff --git a/syntax/markdown.vim b/syntax/markdown.vim
index f30b107..2e42caf 100644
--- a/syntax/markdown.vim
+++ b/syntax/markdown.vim
@@ -56,17 +56,17 @@ syn region markdownUrlTitle matchgroup=markdownUrlTitleDelimiter start=+"+ end=+
 syn region markdownUrlTitle matchgroup=markdownUrlTitleDelimiter start=+'+ end=+'+ keepend contained
 syn region markdownUrlTitle matchgroup=markdownUrlTitleDelimiter start=+(+ end=+)+ keepend contained
 
-syn region markdownLinkText matchgroup=markdownLinkTextDelimiter start="!\=\[\%(\_[^]]*]\%((\| \=\[\)\)\@=" end="\]\%(( \=[[(]\)\@=" keepend nextgroup=markdownLink,markdownId skipwhite contains=@markdownInline,markdownLineStart
+syn region markdownLinkText matchgroup=markdownLinkTextDelimiter start="!\=\[\%(\_[^]]*]\%( \=[[(]\)\)\@=" end="\]\%( \=[[(]\)\@=" keepend nextgroup=markdownLink,markdownId skipwhite contains=@markdownInline,markdownLineStart
 syn region markdownLink matchgroup=markdownLinkDelimiter start="(" end=")" contains=markdownUrl keepend contained
 syn region markdownId matchgroup=markdownIdDelimiter start="\[" end="\]" keepend contained
 syn region markdownAutomaticLink matchgroup=markdownUrlDelimiter start="<\%(\w\+:\|\S\+@\)\@=" end=">" keepend oneline
 
-syn region markdownItalic start="\S\@<=\*\|\*\S\@=" end="\S\@<=\*\|\*\S\@="
-syn region markdownItalic start="\S\@<=_\|_\S\@=" end="\S\@<=_\|_\S\@="
-syn region markdownBold start="\S\@<=\*\*\|\*\*\S\@=" end="\S\@<=\*\*\|\*\*\S\@="
-syn region markdownBold start="\S\@<=__\|__\S\@=" end="\S\@<=__\|__\S\@="
-syn region markdownCode matchgroup=markdownCodeDelimiter start="`" end="`"
-syn region markdownCode matchgroup=markdownCodeDelimiter start="`` \=" end=" \=``"
+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 markdownCode matchgroup=markdownCodeDelimiter start="`" end="`" keepend contains=markdownLineStart
+syn region markdownCode matchgroup=markdownCodeDelimiter start="`` \=" end=" \=``" keepend contains=markdownLineStart
 
 syn match markdownEscape "\\[][\\`*_{}()#+.!-]"