diff --git a/packages/extension-bold/index.ts b/packages/extension-bold/index.ts
index f9e8326c..e40a20db 100644
--- a/packages/extension-bold/index.ts
+++ b/packages/extension-bold/index.ts
@@ -48,11 +48,10 @@ export default class Bold extends Mark {
   }
 
   inputRules() {
-    return ['**', '__'].map(character => ([
-      // match start of line
-      markInputRule(
+    return ['**', '__'].map(character => {
+      return markInputRule(
         VerEx()
-          .startOfLine()
+          .add('(?:^|\\s)')
           .beginCapture()
           .find(character)
           .beginCapture()
@@ -62,31 +61,15 @@ export default class Bold extends Mark {
           .endCapture()
           .endOfLine(),
         this.type,
-      ),
-      // match before whitespace
-      markInputRule(
-        VerEx()
-          .whitespace()
-          .beginCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .beginCapture()
-          .somethingBut(character)
-          .endCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .endCapture()
-          .endOfLine(),
-        this.type,
-      ),
-    ]))
-    .flat(1)
+      )
+    })
   }
 
   pasteRules() {
-    return ['**', '__'].map(character => ([
-      // match start of line
-      markPasteRule(
+    return ['**', '__'].map(character => {
+      return markPasteRule(
         VerEx()
-          .startOfLine()
+          .add('(?:^|\\s)')
           .beginCapture()
           .find(character)
           .beginCapture()
@@ -95,22 +78,8 @@ export default class Bold extends Mark {
           .find(character)
           .endCapture(),
         this.type,
-      ),
-      // match before whitespace
-      markPasteRule(
-        VerEx()
-          .whitespace()
-          .beginCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .beginCapture()
-          .somethingBut(character)
-          .endCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .endCapture(),
-        this.type,
-      ),
-    ]))
-    .flat(1)
+      )
+    })
   }
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/extension-code/index.ts b/packages/extension-code/index.ts
index cec3a75b..963ac127 100644
--- a/packages/extension-code/index.ts
+++ b/packages/extension-code/index.ts
@@ -39,69 +39,38 @@ export default class Code extends Mark {
   }
 
   inputRules() {
-    return ['`'].map(character => ([
-      // match start of line
+    return [
       markInputRule(
         VerEx()
-          .startOfLine()
+          .add('(?:^|\\s)')
           .beginCapture()
-          .find(character)
+          .find('`')
           .beginCapture()
-          .somethingBut(character)
+          .somethingBut('`')
           .endCapture()
-          .find(character)
+          .find('`')
           .endCapture()
           .endOfLine(),
         this.type,
-      ),
-      // match before whitespace
-      markInputRule(
-        VerEx()
-          .whitespace()
-          .beginCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .beginCapture()
-          .somethingBut(character)
-          .endCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .endCapture()
-          .endOfLine(),
-        this.type,
-      ),
-    ]))
-    .flat(1)
+      )
+    ]
   }
 
   pasteRules() {
-    return ['`'].map(character => ([
-      // match start of line
+    return [
       markPasteRule(
         VerEx()
-          .startOfLine()
+          .add('(?:^|\\s)')
           .beginCapture()
-          .find(character)
+          .find('`')
           .beginCapture()
-          .somethingBut(character)
+          .somethingBut('`')
           .endCapture()
-          .find(character)
+          .find('`')
           .endCapture(),
         this.type,
-      ),
-      // match before whitespace
-      markPasteRule(
-        VerEx()
-          .whitespace()
-          .beginCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .beginCapture()
-          .somethingBut(character)
-          .endCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .endCapture(),
-        this.type,
-      ),
-    ]))
-    .flat(1)
+      )
+    ]
   }
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/extension-italic/index.ts b/packages/extension-italic/index.ts
index cc14d725..058867fb 100644
--- a/packages/extension-italic/index.ts
+++ b/packages/extension-italic/index.ts
@@ -40,11 +40,10 @@ export default class Italic extends Mark {
   }
 
   inputRules() {
-    return ['*', '_'].map(character => ([
-      // match start of line
-      markInputRule(
+    return ['*', '_'].map(character => {
+      return markInputRule(
         VerEx()
-          .startOfLine()
+          .add('(?:^|\\s)')
           .beginCapture()
           .find(character)
           .beginCapture()
@@ -54,31 +53,15 @@ export default class Italic extends Mark {
           .endCapture()
           .endOfLine(),
         this.type,
-      ),
-      // match before whitespace
-      markInputRule(
-        VerEx()
-          .whitespace()
-          .beginCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .beginCapture()
-          .somethingBut(character)
-          .endCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .endCapture()
-          .endOfLine(),
-        this.type,
-      ),
-    ]))
-    .flat(1)
+      )
+    })
   }
 
   pasteRules() {
-    return ['*', '_'].map(character => ([
-      // match start of line
-      markPasteRule(
+    return ['*', '_'].map(character => {
+      return markPasteRule(
         VerEx()
-          .startOfLine()
+          .add('(?:^|\\s)')
           .beginCapture()
           .find(character)
           .beginCapture()
@@ -87,22 +70,8 @@ export default class Italic extends Mark {
           .find(character)
           .endCapture(),
         this.type,
-      ),
-      // match before whitespace
-      markPasteRule(
-        VerEx()
-          .whitespace()
-          .beginCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .beginCapture()
-          .somethingBut(character)
-          .endCapture()
-          .find(character)
-          .endCapture(),
-        this.type,
-      ),
-    ]))
-    .flat(1)
+      )
+    })
   }
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file