diff --git a/syntax/pandoc.vim b/syntax/pandoc.vim
index 90caeb3..6235e80 100644
--- a/syntax/pandoc.vim
+++ b/syntax/pandoc.vim
@@ -445,11 +445,11 @@ syn match pandocTableHeaderWord /\<.\{-}\>/ contained containedin=pandocGridTabl
 
 " Delimited Code Blocks: {{{2
 " this is here because we can override strikeouts and subscripts
-syn region pandocDelimitedCodeBlock start=/^\(>\s\)\?\z(\([ ]\+\|\t\)\=\~\{3,}\~*\)/ end=/^\z1\~*/ skipnl contains=pandocDelimitedCodeBlockStart,pandocDelimitedCodeBlockEnd keepend
-syn region pandocDelimitedCodeBlock start=/^\(>\s\)\?\z(\([ ]\+\|\t\)\=`\{3,}`*\)/ end=/^\z1`*/ skipnl contains=pandocDelimitedCodeBlockStart,pandocDelimitedCodeBlockEnd keepend
+syn region pandocDelimitedCodeBlock start=/^\(>\s\)\?\z(\( \+\|\t\)\=\~\{3,}\)/ end=/^\z1\~*/ skipnl contains=pandocDelimitedCodeBlockStart,pandocDelimitedCodeBlockEnd keepend
+syn region pandocDelimitedCodeBlock start=/^\(>\s\)\?\z(\( \+\|\t\)\=`\{3,}\)/ end=/^\z1`*/ skipnl contains=pandocDelimitedCodeBlockStart,pandocDelimitedCodeBlockEnd keepend
 call s:WithConceal('codeblock_start', 'syn match pandocDelimitedCodeBlockStart /\(\(\_^\n\_^\|\%^\)\(>\s\)\?\( \+\|\t\)\=\)\@<=\(\~\{3,}\~*\|`\{3,}`*\)/ contained containedin=pandocDelimitedCodeBlock nextgroup=pandocDelimitedCodeBlockLanguage', 'conceal cchar='.s:cchars['codelang'])
 syn match pandocDelimitedCodeBlockLanguage /\(\s\?\)\@<=.\+\(\_$\)\@=/ contained
-call s:WithConceal('codeblock_delim', 'syn match pandocDelimitedCodeBlockEnd /\(`\{3,}`*\|\~\{3,}\~*\)\(\_$\n\(>\s\)\?\_$\)\@=/ contained containedin=pandocDelimitedCodeBlock', 'conceal cchar='.s:cchars['codeend'])
+call s:WithConceal('codeblock_delim', 'syn match pandocDelimitedCodeBlockEnd /\(`\{3,}\|\~\{3,}\)\(\_$\n\(>\s\)\?\_$\)\@=/ contained containedin=pandocDelimitedCodeBlock', 'conceal cchar='.s:cchars['codeend'])
 syn match pandocBlockQuoteinDelimitedCodeBlock '^>' contained containedin=pandocDelimitedCodeBlock
 syn match pandocCodePre /<pre>.\{-}<\/pre>/ skipnl
 syn match pandocCodePre /<code>.\{-}<\/code>/ skipnl