diff --git a/src/rules.js b/src/rules.js
index 85cccd5efd..268d0cf29a 100644
--- a/src/rules.js
+++ b/src/rules.js
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ const inline = {
   reflink: /^!?\[(label)\]\[(?!\s*\])((?:\\[\[\]]?|[^\[\]\\])+)\]/,
   nolink: /^!?\[(?!\s*\])((?:\[[^\[\]]*\]|\\[\[\]]|[^\[\]])*)\](?:\[\])?/,
   strong: /^__([^\s_])__(?!_)|^\*\*([^\s*])\*\*(?!\*)|^__([^\s][\s\S]*?[^\s])__(?!_)|^\*\*([^\s][\s\S]*?[^\s])\*\*(?!\*)/,
-  em: /^_([^\s_])_(?!_)|^\*([^\s*<\[])\*(?!\*)|^_([^\s<][\s\S]*?[^\s_])_(?!_|[^\spunctuation])|^_([^\s_<][\s\S]*?[^\s])_(?!_|[^\spunctuation])|^\*([^\s<"][\s\S]*?[^\s\*])\*(?!\*|[^\spunctuation])|^\*([^\s*"<\[][\s\S]*?[^\s])\*(?!\*)/,
+  em: /^_([^\s_])_(?!_)|^\*([^\s*<\[])\*(?!\*)|^_([^\s<][\s\S]*?[^\s_])_(?!_|[^\spunctuation])|^_([^\s_<][\s\S]*?[^\s])_(?!_|[^\spunctuation])|^\*([^\s<"][\s\S]*?[^\s\[\*])\*(?![\]`punctuation])|^\*([^\s*"<\[][\s\S]*?[^\s])\*(?!\*)/,
   code: /^(`+)([^`]|[^`][\s\S]*?[^`])\1(?!`)/,
   br: /^( {2,}|\\)\n(?!\s*$)/,
   del: noopTest,
diff --git a/test/specs/new/em_2char.html b/test/specs/new/em_2char.html
index 81da0a0001..56db779ccb 100644
--- a/test/specs/new/em_2char.html
+++ b/test/specs/new/em_2char.html
@@ -23,3 +23,5 @@
 <p><em>1_</em></p>
 
 <p><em>1*</em></p>
+
+<p>It’s levi<em>OH</em>sa, not levio<em>SAH.</em></p>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/specs/new/em_2char.md b/test/specs/new/em_2char.md
index ca8689aaba..ef8e636657 100644
--- a/test/specs/new/em_2char.md
+++ b/test/specs/new/em_2char.md
@@ -23,3 +23,5 @@ _ 123_
 _1__
 
 *1**
+
+It’s levi*OH*sa, not levio*SAH.*