diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/sqlserver_highlight_rules.js b/lib/ace/mode/sqlserver_highlight_rules.js
index 5ad3a410..30293e2e 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/sqlserver_highlight_rules.js
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/sqlserver_highlight_rules.js
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ var SqlServerHighlightRules = function() {
         /* https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms177520.aspx */
         "@@CONNECTIONS|@@CPU_BUSY|@@IDLE|@@IO_BUSY|@@PACKET_ERRORS|@@PACK_RECEIVED|@@PACK_SENT|@@TIMETICKS|@@TOTAL_ERRORS|@@TOTAL_READ|@@TOTAL_WRITE|FN_VIRTUALFILESTATS|" +
         /* https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188353.aspx */
-        "PATINDEX|TEXTPTR|TEXTVALID|" 
+        "PATINDEX|TEXTPTR|TEXTVALID|"
     );
 
 
@@ -154,10 +154,12 @@ var SqlServerHighlightRules = function() {
         }, {
             token : keywordMapper,
             regex : "[a-zA-Z_$][a-zA-Z0-9_$]*\\b"
-        }, {
+        }
+        /* this works to make variables designated with @ symbol show as a single token... but it screws up built in functions that start with @ symbol
+        , {
             token : "constant.class",
             regex : "@@?[a-zA-Z_$][a-zA-Z0-9_$]*\\b"
-        }, {
+        }*/, {
             token : "keyword.operator",
             regex : "\\+|\\-|\\/|\\/\\/|%|<@>|@>|<@|&|\\^|~|<|>|<=|=>|==|!=|<>|="
         }, {