diff --git a/src/gajim.py b/src/gajim.py
index b488bf68c..5eb571592 100644
--- a/src/gajim.py
+++ b/src/gajim.py
@@ -2646,7 +2646,7 @@ class Interface:
 		#detects eg. *b* *bold* *bold bold* test *bold* *bold*! (*bold*)
 		#doesn't detect (it's a feature :P) * bold* *bold * * bold * test*bold*
 		formatting = r'|(?<!\w)' r'\*[^\s*]' r'([^*]*[^\s*])?' r'\*(?!\w)|'\
-			r'(?<!\w|\<)' r'/[^\s/]' r'([^/]*[^\s/])?' r'/(?!\w)|'\
+			r'(?<!\S)' r'/[^\s/]' r'([^/]*[^\s/])?' r'/(?!\S)|'\
 			r'(?<!\w)' r'_[^\s_]' r'([^_]*[^\s_])?' r'_(?!\w)'
 
 		latex = r'|\$\$[^$\\]*?([\]\[0-9A-Za-z()|+*/-]|[\\][\]\[0-9A-Za-z()|{}$])(.*?[^\\])?\$\$'