diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/sh_highlight_rules.js b/lib/ace/mode/sh_highlight_rules.js
index 9dd9aa33..9d32055a 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/sh_highlight_rules.js
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/sh_highlight_rules.js
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ var ShHighlightRules = function() {
             token : "keyword.operator"
         }, {
             stateName: "heredoc",
-            regex : "(<<)(\\s*)(['\"`]?)([\\w\\-]+)(['\"`]?)",
+            regex : "(<<-?)(\\s*)(['\"`]?)([\\w\\-]+)(['\"`]?)",
             onMatch : function(value, currentState, stack) {
                 var next = value[2] == '-' ? "indentedHeredoc" : "heredoc";
                 var tokens = value.split(this.splitRegex);