diff --git a/src/lib/modes.js b/src/lib/modes.js
index d556dc2897..602141e78a 100644
--- a/src/lib/modes.js
+++ b/src/lib/modes.js
@@ -10,16 +10,17 @@ export const BINARY_NUMBER_RE = '\\b(0b[01]+)'; // 0b...
 export const RE_STARTERS_RE = '!|!=|!==|%|%=|&|&&|&=|\\*|\\*=|\\+|\\+=|,|-|-=|/=|/|:|;|<<|<<=|<=|<|===|==|=|>>>=|>>=|>=|>>>|>>|>|\\?|\\[|\\{|\\(|\\^|\\^=|\\||\\|=|\\|\\||~';
 
 export const SHEBANG = (opts = {}) => {
+  const beginShebang = /^#![ ]*\//;
   if (opts.binary) {
     opts.begin = regex.concat(
-      /^#!\//,
-      /.*/,
+      beginShebang,
+      /.*\b/,
       opts.binary,
       /\b.*/);
   }
   return inherit({
     className: 'meta',
-    begin: /^#!\//,
+    begin: beginShebang,
     end: /$/,
     relevance: 0,
     "on:begin": (m, resp) => {