diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/text_highlight_rules.js b/lib/ace/mode/text_highlight_rules.js
index d6dbd794..b63f6c08 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/text_highlight_rules.js
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/text_highlight_rules.js
@@ -56,10 +56,13 @@ var TextHighlightRules = function() {
             for (var i = 0; i < state.length; i++) {
                 var rule = state[i];
                 if (rule.next) {
-                    if (typeof rule.next != "string")
-                        rule.nextState = prefix + rule.nextState;
-                    else
-                        rule.next = prefix + rule.next;
+                    if (typeof rule.next != "string") {
+                        if (rule.nextState && rule.nextState.indexOf(prefix) !== 0)
+                            rule.nextState = prefix + rule.nextState;
+                    } else {
+                        if (rule.next.indexOf(prefix) !== 0)
+                            rule.next = prefix + rule.next;
+                    }
 
                 }
             }