diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/php.js b/lib/ace/mode/php.js
index 18aecb66..e7f2317b 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/php.js
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/php.js
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ var CStyleFoldMode = require("./folding/cstyle").FoldMode;
 var unicode = require("../unicode");
 
 var Mode = function(opts) {
-    var inline = opts && opts.inline;
-    var HighlightRules = inline ? PhpLangHighlightRules : PhpHighlightRules;
+    this.inlinePhp = opts && opts.inline;
+    var HighlightRules = this.inlinePhp ? PhpLangHighlightRules : PhpHighlightRules;
     this.HighlightRules = HighlightRules;
     this.$outdent = new MatchingBraceOutdent();
     this.$behaviour = new CstyleBehaviour();
@@ -117,6 +117,9 @@ oop.inherits(Mode, TextMode);
     this.createWorker = function(session) {
         var worker = new WorkerClient(["ace"], "ace/mode/php_worker", "PhpWorker");
         worker.attachToDocument(session.getDocument());
+        
+        if (this.inlinePhp)
+            worker.call("setOptions", [{inline: true}]);
 
         worker.on("error", function(e) {
             session.setAnnotations(e.data);
diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/php_worker.js b/lib/ace/mode/php_worker.js
index 59ebcf48..878d88d6 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/php_worker.js
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/php_worker.js
@@ -43,12 +43,17 @@ var PhpWorker = exports.PhpWorker = function(sender) {
 oop.inherits(PhpWorker, Mirror);
 
 (function() {
-
+    this.setOptions = function(opts) {
+        this.inlinePhp = opts && opts.inline;
+    };
+    
     this.onUpdate = function() {
         var value = this.doc.getValue();
         var errors = [];
 
         // var start = new Date();
+        if (this.inlinePhp)
+            value = "<?" + value + "?>";
 
         var tokens = PHP.Lexer(value, {short_open_tag: 1});
         try {