diff --git a/magnetar_mmm_parser/src/lib.rs b/magnetar_mmm_parser/src/lib.rs
index 9c859fa..919ebd7 100644
--- a/magnetar_mmm_parser/src/lib.rs
+++ b/magnetar_mmm_parser/src/lib.rs
@@ -1022,6 +1022,19 @@ impl Context {
         let FlankingDelim(closing_tag, closing_rule, ..) = closing_tag.into();
 
         move |input| {
+            if let FlankingRule::Strict = opening_rule {
+                let (input, pre) = opt(recognize(tuple((
+                    alphanumeric1_unicode,
+                    opt(tag("\\")),
+                    &opening_tag,
+                    peek(not(alt((space1_unicode, eof)))),
+                ))))(input)?;
+
+                if let Some(pre_text) = pre {
+                    return Ok((input, Token::PlainText(pre_text.into_fragment().into())));
+                }
+            }
+
             if escape {
                 if let Ok((input_escaped, (_, mark))) = tuple((tag("\\"), &opening_tag))(input) {
                     return Ok((
@@ -1031,14 +1044,6 @@ impl Context {
                 }
             }
 
-            if let FlankingRule::Strict = opening_rule {
-                let (input, pre) =
-                    opt(recognize(tuple((alphanumeric1_unicode, &opening_tag))))(input)?;
-                if let Some(pre_text) = pre {
-                    return Ok((input, Token::PlainText(pre_text.into_fragment().into())));
-                }
-            }
-
             let begin = input;
             let (post_open, _) = opening_tag(input)?;
 
@@ -1047,11 +1052,7 @@ impl Context {
                 &closing_tag,
             ))(post_open);
 
-            if let Err(nom::Err::Error(nom::error::Error {
-                input: input_past_err,
-                ..
-            })) = res
-            {
+            if let Err(nom::Err::Error(nom::error::Error { .. })) = res {
                 let res_fallback = tuple((
                     many1(tuple((not(&closing_tag), &fallback.matcher_inner))),
                     &closing_tag,
@@ -1059,8 +1060,8 @@ impl Context {
 
                 if res_fallback.is_err() {
                     return Ok((
-                        input_past_err,
-                        Token::PlainText(begin.fragment_between(&input_past_err).into()),
+                        post_open,
+                        Token::PlainText(begin.fragment_between(&post_open).into()),
                     ));
                 }
 
@@ -1727,8 +1728,6 @@ mod test {
 
     #[test]
     fn parse_empty() {
-        let ctx = Context::default();
-
         assert_eq!(parse_full(""), Token::Sequence(vec![]));
     }
 
@@ -1833,6 +1832,14 @@ mod test {
             Token::PlainText("_ italic *".into())
         );
 
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_full(r#"long text with a *footnote <b>text</b>"#),
+            Token::Sequence(vec![
+                Token::PlainText("long text with a *footnote ".into()),
+                Token::Bold(Box::new(Token::PlainText("text".into())))
+            ])
+        );
+
         assert_eq!(
             parse_full(r#"*"italic"*"#),
             Token::Italic(Box::new(Token::PlainText("\"italic\"".into())))
@@ -1879,10 +1886,66 @@ mod test {
 
         assert_eq!(
             parse_full("~~*hello\nworld*"),
-            Token::PlainText("~~*hello\nworld*".into())
+            Token::Sequence(vec![
+                Token::PlainText("~~".into()),
+                Token::Italic(Box::new(Token::PlainText("hello\nworld".into())))
+            ])
         )
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_flanking() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_full(r#"aaa*iii*bbb"#),
+            Token::Sequence(vec![
+                Token::PlainText("aaa".into()),
+                Token::Italic(Box::new(Token::PlainText("iii".into()))),
+                Token::PlainText("bbb".into())
+            ])
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_full(r#"aaa_nnn_bbb"#),
+            Token::PlainText("aaa_nnn_bbb".into())
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_full(r#"*iii*"#),
+            Token::Italic(Box::new(Token::PlainText("iii".into())))
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_full(r#"_iii_"#),
+            Token::Italic(Box::new(Token::PlainText("iii".into())))
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_full(r#"aaa*iii*"#),
+            Token::Sequence(vec![
+                Token::PlainText("aaa".into()),
+                Token::Italic(Box::new(Token::PlainText("iii".into()))),
+            ])
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_full(r#"*iii*bbb"#),
+            Token::Sequence(vec![
+                Token::Italic(Box::new(Token::PlainText("iii".into()))),
+                Token::PlainText("bbb".into()),
+            ])
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_full(r#"aaa_nnn_"#),
+            Token::PlainText("aaa_nnn_".into())
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_full(r#"_nnn_bbb"#),
+            Token::PlainText("_nnn_bbb".into())
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parse_complex() {
         assert_eq!(