diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/markdown_highlight_rules.js b/lib/ace/mode/markdown_highlight_rules.js
index 97d3c182..f9591b36 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/markdown_highlight_rules.js
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/markdown_highlight_rules.js
@@ -52,7 +52,10 @@ var MarkdownHighlightRules = function() {
     // regexps are ordered -> the first match is used
 
     this.$rules = {
-        "basic" : [{ // code span `
+        "basic" : [{
+            token : "constant.language.escape",
+            regex : /\\[\\`*_{}\[\]()#+\-.!]/
+        }, { // code span `
             token : "support.function",
             regex : "(`+)(.*?[^`])(\\1)"
         }, { // reference