diff --git a/Parsedown.php b/Parsedown.php
index 5bd91b5..ce368e5 100755
--- a/Parsedown.php
+++ b/Parsedown.php
@@ -784,18 +784,15 @@ class Parsedown
 		if (strpos($text, '_') !== FALSE)
 		{
 			$text = preg_replace('/__(?=\S)([^_]+?)(?<=\S)__/s', '<strong>$1</strong>', $text, -1, $count);
-			$count or $text = preg_replace('/__(?=\S)(.+?)(?<=\S)__(?!_)/s', '<strong>$1</strong>', $text);
-
-			$text = preg_replace('/\b_(?=\S)(.+?)(?<=\S)_\b/s', '<em>$1</em>', $text);
+			$text = preg_replace('/(\b|_)_(?=\S)([^_]+?)(?<=\S)_(\b|_)/s', '$1<em>$2</em>$3', $text);
+			$text = preg_replace('/__(?=\S)([^_]+?)(?<=\S)__/s', '<strong>$1</strong>', $text, -1, $count);
 		}
 
 		if (strpos($text, '*') !== FALSE)
 		{
-			$text = preg_replace('/\*\*(?=\S)([^*]+?)(?<=\S)\*\*/s', '<strong>$1</strong>', $text, -1, $count);
-			$count or $text = preg_replace('/\*\*(?=\S)(.+?)(?<=\S)\*\*(?!\*)/s', '<strong>$1</strong>', $text);
-
-			$text = preg_replace('/\*(?=\S)([^*]+?)(?<=\S)\*/s', '<em>$1</em>', $text, -1, $count);
-			$count or $text = preg_replace('/\*(?=\S)(.+?)(?<=\S)\*(?!\*)/s', '<em>$1</em>', $text);
+			$text = preg_replace('/\*\*(?=\S)([^*]+?)(?<=\S)\*\*/s', '<strong>$1</strong>', $text);
+			$text = preg_replace('/\*(?=\S)([^*]+?)(?<=\S)\*/s', '<em>$1</em>', $text);
+			$text = preg_replace('/\*\*(?=\S)([^*]+?)(?<=\S)\*\*/s', '<strong>$1</strong>', $text);
 		}
 
 		$text = strtr($text, $map);
diff --git a/tests/data/em_strong.html b/tests/data/em_strong.html
index 5760332..adc08ce 100644
--- a/tests/data/em_strong.html
+++ b/tests/data/em_strong.html
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 <p><strong><em>em strong</em> strong</strong></p>
 <p><strong>strong <em>em strong</em></strong></p>
 <p><strong>strong <em>em strong</em> strong</strong></p>
-<p><strong>strong <em>em strong</em></strong></p>
\ No newline at end of file
+<p><strong><em>em strong</em> strong</strong></p>
+<p><strong>strong <em>em strong</em></strong></p>
+<p><strong>strong <em>em strong</em> strong</strong></p>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/em_strong.md b/tests/data/em_strong.md
index 837e1e6..748190c 100644
--- a/tests/data/em_strong.md
+++ b/tests/data/em_strong.md
@@ -4,4 +4,8 @@ __strong _em strong___
 
 __strong _em strong_ strong__
 
-**strong *em strong***
\ No newline at end of file
+***em strong* strong**
+
+**strong *em strong***
+
+**strong *em strong* strong**
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/emphasis.html b/tests/data/emphasis.html
index ce129c9..a5f107b 100644
--- a/tests/data/emphasis.html
+++ b/tests/data/emphasis.html
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@
 emphasis</em></p>
 <p>_ this _ is not an emphasis, neither is _ this_, _this _, or _this*</p>
 <p>this_is_not_an_emphasis</p>
-<p>an empty emphasis __ ** is not an emphasis</p>
\ No newline at end of file
+<p>an empty emphasis __ ** is not an emphasis</p>
+<p>*mixed *<em>double and</em> single asterisk** spans</p>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/emphasis.md b/tests/data/emphasis.md
index dfbeea3..132681d 100644
--- a/tests/data/emphasis.md
+++ b/tests/data/emphasis.md
@@ -7,4 +7,6 @@ _ this _ is not an emphasis, neither is _ this_, _this _, or _this*
 
 this_is_not_an_emphasis
 
-an empty emphasis __ ** is not an emphasis
\ No newline at end of file
+an empty emphasis __ ** is not an emphasis
+
+*mixed **double and* single asterisk** spans
\ No newline at end of file