diff --git a/Markdown/Markdown.sublime-syntax b/Markdown/Markdown.sublime-syntax
index 2185b0e70c..e5738fc682 100644
--- a/Markdown/Markdown.sublime-syntax
+++ b/Markdown/Markdown.sublime-syntax
@@ -56,55 +56,58 @@ variables:
 
   backticks: |-
     (?x:
-      (`{4})(?![\s`])(?:[^`]+(?=`)|(?!`{4})`+(?!`))+(`{4})(?!`)  # 4 backticks, followed by at least one non whitespace, non backtick character, followed by (less than 4 backticks, or at least one non backtick character) at least once, followed by exactly 4 backticks
-    | (`{3})(?![\s`])(?:[^`]+(?=`)|(?!`{3})`+(?!`))+(`{3})(?!`)  # 3 backticks, followed by at least one non whitespace, non backtick character, followed by (less than 3 backticks, or at least one non backtick character) at least once, followed by exactly 3 backticks
-    | (`{2})(?![\s`])(?:[^`]+(?=`)|(?!`{2})`+(?!`))+(`{2})(?!`)  # 2 backticks, followed by at least one non whitespace, non backtick character, followed by (less than 2 backticks, or at least one non backtick character) at least once, followed by exactly 2 backticks
-    | (`{1})(?![\s`])(?:[^`]+(?=`)|(?!`{1})`+(?!`))+(`{1})(?!`)  # 1 backtick,  followed by at least one non whitespace, non backtick character, followed by (                          at least one non backtick character) at least once, followed by exactly 1 backtick
+      (`{4})[^`](?:[^`]|(?!`{4})`+[^`])*(`{4})(?!`)  # 4 backticks, followed by at least one non backtick character, followed by (less than 4 backticks, or at least one non backtick character) at least once, followed by exactly 4 backticks
+    | (`{3})[^`](?:[^`]|(?!`{3})`+[^`])*(`{3})(?!`)  # 3 backticks, followed by at least one non backtick character, followed by (less than 3 backticks, or at least one non backtick character) at least once, followed by exactly 3 backticks
+    | (`{2})[^`](?:[^`]|(?!`{2})`+[^`])*(`{2})(?!`)  # 2 backticks, followed by at least one non backtick character, followed by (less than 2 backticks, or at least one non backtick character) at least once, followed by exactly 2 backticks
+    | (`{1})[^`](?:[^`]|(?!`{1})`+[^`])*(`{1})(?!`)  # 1 backtick,  followed by at least one non backtick character, followed by (                          at least one non backtick character) at least once, followed by exactly 1 backtick
     )
   escapes: \\[-+*/!"#$%&'(),.:;<=>?@\[\\\]^_`{|}~]
 
   balance_square_brackets: |-
     (?x:
       (?:
-        (?:{{escapes}})+                  # escape characters
-      | [^\[\]`\\]+(?=[\[\]`\\]|$)        # anything that isn't a square bracket or a backtick or the start of an escape character
+        \\.                               # maybe escaped character (be lazy)
+      | [^\[\]`]                          # anything that isn't a square bracket or backtick
       | {{backticks}}                     # inline code
-      | \[(?:                             # nested square brackets (one level deep)
-          [^\[\]`]+(?=[\[\]`])            #  anything that isn't a square bracket or a backtick
-          {{backticks}}?                  #  balanced backticks
-        )*\]                              #  closing square bracket
+      | \[ (?:                            # nested square brackets (one level deep)
+          \\.                             #  maybe escaped character (be lazy)
+        | [^\[\]`]                        #  anything that isn't a square bracket or backtick
+        | {{backticks}}                   #  inline code
+        )* \]                             #  closing square bracket
       )+
     )
   balance_square_brackets_and_emphasis: |-
     (?x:
       (?:
-        (?:{{escapes}})+                  # escape characters
-      | [^\[\]`\\_*]+(?=[\[\]`\\_*]|$)    # anything that isn't a square bracket, a backtick, the start of an escape character, or an emphasis character
+        \\.                               # maybe escaped character (be lazy)
+      | [^\[\]`_*]                        # anything that isn't a square bracket, backtick or emphasis
       | {{backticks}}                     # inline code
-      | \[(?:                             # nested square brackets (one level deep)
-          [^\[\]`]+(?=[\[\]`])            #  anything that isn't a square bracket or a backtick
-          {{backticks}}?                  #  balanced backticks
-        )*\]                              #  closing square bracket
+      | \[ (?:                            # nested square brackets (one level deep)
+          \\.                             #  maybe escaped character (be lazy)
+        | [^\[\]`_*]                      #  anything that isn't a square bracket, backtick or emphasis
+        | {{backticks}}                   #  inline code
+        )* \]                             #  closing square bracket
       )+                                  # at least one character
     )
   balance_square_brackets_pipes_and_emphasis: |-
     (?x:
       (?:
-        (?:{{escapes}})+                  # escape characters
-      | [^\[\]`\\_*|]+(?=[\[\]`\\_*|]|$)  # anything that isn't a square bracket, a backtick, the start of an escape character, or an emphasis character
+        \\.                               # maybe escaped character (be lazy)
+      | [^\[\]`_*|]                       # anything that isn't a square bracket, backtick or emphasis or table cell separator
       | {{backticks}}                     # inline code
-      | \[(?:                             # nested square brackets (one level deep)
-          [^\[\]`]+(?=[\[\]`])            #  anything that isn't a square bracket or a backtick
-          {{backticks}}?                  #  balanced backticks
-        )*\]                              #  closing square bracket
+      | \[ (?:                            # nested square brackets (one level deep)
+          \\.                             #  maybe escaped character (be lazy)
+        | [^\[\]`_*|]                     #  anything that isn't a square bracket, backtick or emphasis or table cell separator
+        | {{backticks}}                   #  inline code
+        )* \]                             #  closing square bracket
       )+                                  # at least one character
     )
   balanced_emphasis: |-
     (?x:
-      \*  (?!\*){{balance_square_brackets_and_emphasis}}+\*  (?!\*)
-    | \*\*      {{balance_square_brackets_and_emphasis}}+\*\*
-    | _   (?!_) {{balance_square_brackets_and_emphasis}}+_   (?!_)
-    | __        {{balance_square_brackets_and_emphasis}}+__
+      \*  (?!\*){{balance_square_brackets_and_emphasis}}\*  (?!\*)
+    | \*\*      {{balance_square_brackets_and_emphasis}}\*\*
+    | _   (?!_) {{balance_square_brackets_and_emphasis}}_   (?!_)
+    | __        {{balance_square_brackets_and_emphasis}}__
     )
 
   table_cell: |-
diff --git a/Markdown/tests/syntax_test_markdown.md b/Markdown/tests/syntax_test_markdown.md
index 5668c00448..6a548b10bc 100644
--- a/Markdown/tests/syntax_test_markdown.md
+++ b/Markdown/tests/syntax_test_markdown.md
@@ -6038,6 +6038,24 @@ blah*
     |                                                                       ^ punctuation.definition.string.end.markdown
     |                                                                        ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
 
+    Complex ![image $\ce{H2O}$.](./img/image6.png){#fig:image6 height=12.09cm }
+    |       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.description.markdown
+    |       ^^ punctuation.definition.image.begin.markdown
+    |               ^^^^^^^^^^ markup.math.inline.markdown text.tex.latex.embedded.markdown meta.environment.math.block.dollar.latex
+    |                          ^ punctuation.definition.image.end.markdown
+    |                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.metadata.markdown
+    |                           ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.begin.markdown
+    |                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ markup.underline.link.image.markdown
+    |                                            ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
+    |                                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.attributes.markdown
+    |                                             ^ punctuation.definition.attributes.begin.markdown
+    |                                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.attribute-with-value.markdown
+    |                                              ^^^^^^^^^^^ entity.other.attribute-name.markdown
+    |                                                          ^^^^^^ entity.other.attribute-name.markdown
+    |                                                                ^ punctuation.separator.key-value.markdown
+    |                                                                 ^^^^^^^ string.unquoted.markdown
+    |                                                                         ^ punctuation.definition.attributes.end.markdown
+
 
 # TEST: CODE SPANS ############################################################
 
@@ -7364,6 +7382,27 @@ A ~~![striked](https://image-url)~~
 A ~~[![striked](image-url)](link-url)~~
 | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.paragraph.markdown markup.strikethrough.markdown-gfm
 
+A ~~![image $\ce{H2O}$.](./img/image6.png){#fig:image6 height=12.09cm }~~
+| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ markup.strikethrough.markdown-gfm
+| ^^ punctuation.definition.strikethrough.begin.markdown
+|   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.description.markdown
+|   ^^ punctuation.definition.image.begin.markdown
+|           ^^^^^^^^^^ markup.math.inline.markdown text.tex.latex.embedded.markdown meta.environment.math.block.dollar.latex
+|                      ^ punctuation.definition.image.end.markdown
+|                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.metadata.markdown
+|                       ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.begin.markdown
+|                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ markup.underline.link.image.markdown
+|                                        ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
+|                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.attributes.markdown
+|                                         ^ punctuation.definition.attributes.begin.markdown
+|                                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.attribute-with-value.markdown
+|                                          ^^^^^^^^^^^ entity.other.attribute-name.markdown
+|                                                      ^^^^^^ entity.other.attribute-name.markdown
+|                                                            ^ punctuation.separator.key-value.markdown
+|                                                             ^^^^^^^ string.unquoted.markdown
+|                                                                     ^ punctuation.definition.attributes.end.markdown
+|                                                                      ^^ punctuation.definition.strikethrough.end.markdown
+
 
 # TEST: LINKS #################################################################
 
@@ -7744,6 +7783,90 @@ Here is a ![Image Ref Alt][1].
 |                          ^ markup.underline.link.markdown
 |                           ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
 
+A complex ![image $\ce{H2O}$.](./img/image6.png){#fig:image6 height=12.09cm }
+|         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.description.markdown
+|         ^^ punctuation.definition.image.begin.markdown
+|                 ^^^^^^^^^^ markup.math.inline.markdown text.tex.latex.embedded.markdown meta.environment.math.block.dollar.latex
+|                            ^ punctuation.definition.image.end.markdown
+|                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.metadata.markdown
+|                             ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.begin.markdown
+|                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ markup.underline.link.image.markdown
+|                                              ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
+|                                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.attributes.markdown
+|                                               ^ punctuation.definition.attributes.begin.markdown
+|                                                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.attribute-with-value.markdown
+|                                                ^^^^^^^^^^^ entity.other.attribute-name.markdown
+|                                                            ^^^^^^ entity.other.attribute-name.markdown
+|                                                                  ^ punctuation.separator.key-value.markdown
+|                                                                   ^^^^^^^ string.unquoted.markdown
+|                                                                           ^ punctuation.definition.attributes.end.markdown
+
+With codepsan ![`a`b]()
+|             ^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.description.markdown
+|             ^^ punctuation.definition.image.begin.markdown
+|               ^^^ markup.raw.inline.markdown
+|               ^ punctuation.definition.raw.begin.markdown
+|                 ^ punctuation.definition.raw.end.markdown
+|                   ^ punctuation.definition.image.end.markdown
+|                    ^^ meta.image.inline.metadata.markdown
+|                    ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.begin.markdown
+|                     ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
+
+With codepsan ![``a`b``]()
+|             ^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.description.markdown
+|             ^^ punctuation.definition.image.begin.markdown
+|               ^^^^^^^ markup.raw.inline.markdown
+|               ^^ punctuation.definition.raw.begin.markdown
+|                    ^^ punctuation.definition.raw.end.markdown
+|                      ^ punctuation.definition.image.end.markdown
+|                       ^^ meta.image.inline.metadata.markdown
+|                       ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.begin.markdown
+|                        ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
+
+With codepsan ![` `]()
+|             ^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.description.markdown
+|             ^^ punctuation.definition.image.begin.markdown
+|               ^^^ markup.raw.inline.markdown
+|               ^ punctuation.definition.raw.begin.markdown
+|                 ^ punctuation.definition.raw.end.markdown
+|                  ^ punctuation.definition.image.end.markdown
+|                   ^^ meta.image.inline.metadata.markdown
+|                   ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.begin.markdown
+|                    ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
+
+With codepsan ![`` ` ``]()
+|             ^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.description.markdown
+|             ^^ punctuation.definition.image.begin.markdown
+|               ^^^^^^^ markup.raw.inline.markdown
+|               ^^ punctuation.definition.raw.begin.markdown
+|                    ^^ punctuation.definition.raw.end.markdown
+|                      ^ punctuation.definition.image.end.markdown
+|                       ^^ meta.image.inline.metadata.markdown
+|                       ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.begin.markdown
+|                        ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
+
+With codepsan ![``` `` ```]()
+|             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.description.markdown
+|             ^^ punctuation.definition.image.begin.markdown
+|               ^^^^^^^^^^ markup.raw.inline.markdown
+|               ^^^ punctuation.definition.raw.begin.markdown
+|                      ^^^ punctuation.definition.raw.end.markdown
+|                         ^ punctuation.definition.image.end.markdown
+|                          ^^ meta.image.inline.metadata.markdown
+|                          ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.begin.markdown
+|                           ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
+ 
+With codepsan ![```` ``` ````]()
+|             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ meta.image.inline.description.markdown
+|             ^^ punctuation.definition.image.begin.markdown
+|               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ markup.raw.inline.markdown
+|               ^^^^ punctuation.definition.raw.begin.markdown
+|                        ^^^^ punctuation.definition.raw.end.markdown
+|                            ^ punctuation.definition.image.end.markdown
+|                             ^^ meta.image.inline.metadata.markdown
+|                             ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.begin.markdown
+|                              ^ punctuation.definition.metadata.end.markdown
+
 
 # TEST: FOOTNOTES #############################################################