diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 63c0fca..251add8 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ maddy uses [semver versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
 ## Upcoming
 
+* ![**FIXED**](https://img.shields.io/badge/-FIXED-%23090) Only create emphasis tags at word boundaries, i.e. `not only_internal_underscores`.
 * ...
 
 ## version 1.5.0 2025-04-21
diff --git a/include/maddy/emphasizedparser.h b/include/maddy/emphasizedparser.h
index 1705e6f..af30928 100644
--- a/include/maddy/emphasizedparser.h
+++ b/include/maddy/emphasizedparser.h
@@ -40,8 +40,10 @@ class EmphasizedParser : public LineParser
    */
   void Parse(std::string& line) override
   {
+    // Modifed from previous version, with help from
+    // https://stackoverflow.com/questions/61346949/regex-for-markdown-emphasis
     static std::regex re(
-      R"((?!.*`.*|.*<code>.*)_(?!.*`.*|.*<\/code>.*)([^_]*)_(?!.*`.*|.*<\/code>.*))"
+      R"((?!.*`.*|.*<code>.*)\b_(?![\s])(?!.*`.*|.*<\/code>.*)(.*?[^\s])_\b(?!.*`.*|.*<\/code>.*))"
     );
     static std::string replacement = "<em>$1</em>";
 
diff --git a/include/maddy/strongparser.h b/include/maddy/strongparser.h
index 348f2d4..a28d18b 100644
--- a/include/maddy/strongparser.h
+++ b/include/maddy/strongparser.h
@@ -40,6 +40,23 @@ class StrongParser : public LineParser
    */
   void Parse(std::string& line) override
   {
+    // This version of the regex is changed exactly the same way
+    // that the regex for the emphasized parser was changed, and
+    // it then passes all the 'disabled' tests in the 'strong parser'
+    // test, but then it fails general parsing.  For some reason,
+    // "__text__" translates "<i></i>text<i></i>" even though there
+    // are no word boundaries at the correct places.  It's weird!
+
+    // static std::vector<std::regex> res{
+    //   std::regex{
+    //     R"((?!.*`.*|.*<code>.*)\b\*\*(?![\s])(?!.*`.*|.*<\/code>.*)"
+    //      "(.*?[^\s])\*\*\b(?!.*`.*|.*<\/code>.*))"
+    //   },
+    //   std::regex{
+    //     R"((?!.*`.*|.*<code>.*)\b__(?![\s])(?!.*`.*|.*<\/code>.*)"
+    //      "(.*?[^\s])__\b(?!.*`.*|.*<\/code>.*))"
+    //   }
+    // };
     static std::vector<std::regex> res{
       std::regex{
         R"((?!.*`.*|.*<code>.*)\*\*(?!.*`.*|.*<\/code>.*)([^\*\*]*)\*\*(?!.*`.*|.*<\/code>.*))"
diff --git a/tests/maddy/test_maddy_emphasizedparser.cpp b/tests/maddy/test_maddy_emphasizedparser.cpp
index 6442779..a70c248 100644
--- a/tests/maddy/test_maddy_emphasizedparser.cpp
+++ b/tests/maddy/test_maddy_emphasizedparser.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,89 @@ TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItReplacesMarkdownWithEmphasizedHTML)
   ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
 }
 
+TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItReplacesUnderscoresAtStringEdges)
+{
+  std::string text = "_some text_";
+  std::string expected = "<em>some text</em>";
+  auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
+
+  emphasizedParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItDoesNotReplaceMarkdownWithInlineUnderscores)
+{
+  std::string text = "some text_bla_text testing _it_ out";
+  std::string expected = "some text_bla_text testing <em>it</em> out";
+  auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
+
+  emphasizedParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItOnlyReplacesUnderscoresAtWordBreaks)
+{
+  std::string text = "some _text_bla_ testing _it_ out";
+  std::string expected = "some <em>text_bla</em> testing <em>it</em> out";
+  auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
+
+  emphasizedParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItReplacesUnderscoresWithMultipleWords)
+{
+  std::string text = "some _text testing it_ out";
+  std::string expected = "some <em>text testing it</em> out";
+  auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
+
+  emphasizedParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItAllowsDoubleUnderscores)
+{
+  // I'm not sure if this is standard or not, but this is how the github
+  // markdown parser behaves.  Other things I've seen want it to *not*
+  // match.
+  std::string text = "some __text testing it_ out";
+  std::string expected = "some <em>_text testing it</em> out";
+  auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
+
+  emphasizedParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItDoesntReplaceUnderscoresInsideCodeBlocks)
+{
+  std::string text =
+    "Stuff inside <code> blocks _shouldn't be emphasized_ </code> at all";
+  std::string expected =
+    "Stuff inside <code> blocks _shouldn't be emphasized_ </code> at all";
+  auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
+
+  emphasizedParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItDoesNotReplaceUnderscoresInURLs)
+{
+  std::string text = "[Link Title](http://example.com/what_you_didn't_know)";
+  std::string expected =
+    "[Link Title](http://example.com/what_you_didn't_know)";
+  auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
+
+  emphasizedParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
 TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItDoesNotParseInsideInlineCode)
 {
   std::string text = "some text `*bla*` `/**text*/` testing _it_ out";
@@ -32,3 +115,33 @@ TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItDoesNotParseInsideInlineCode)
 
   ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
 }
+
+TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItParsesOutsideCodeBlocks)
+{
+  std::string text =
+    "Stuff inside <code> blocks _shouldn't be emphasized_ </code>"
+    " but outside _should_.";
+  std::string expected =
+    "Stuff inside <code> blocks _shouldn't be emphasized_ </code>"
+    " but outside <em>should</em>.";
+  auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
+
+  emphasizedParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItParsesOutsideTickBlocks)
+{
+  std::string text =
+    "Stuff inside `blocks _shouldn't be emphasized_ `"
+    " but outside _should_.";
+  std::string expected =
+    "Stuff inside `blocks _shouldn't be emphasized_ `"
+    " but outside <em>should</em>.";
+  auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
+
+  emphasizedParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
diff --git a/tests/maddy/test_maddy_strongparser.cpp b/tests/maddy/test_maddy_strongparser.cpp
index f006e26..466068d 100644
--- a/tests/maddy/test_maddy_strongparser.cpp
+++ b/tests/maddy/test_maddy_strongparser.cpp
@@ -83,3 +83,118 @@ TEST(MADDY_STRONGPARSER, ItDoesNotParseInsideInlineCode)
     ASSERT_EQ(test.expected, test.text);
   }
 }
+
+TEST(MADDY_STRONGPARSER, ItReplacesUnderscoresAtStringEdges)
+{
+  std::string text = "__some text__";
+  std::string expected = "<strong>some text</strong>";
+  auto strongParser = std::make_shared<maddy::StrongParser>();
+
+  strongParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(DISABLED_MADDY_STRONGPARSER, ItDoesNotReplaceMarkdownWithInlineUnderscores)
+{
+  std::string text = "some text__bla__text testing __it__ out";
+  std::string expected = "some text__bla__text testing <strong>it</strong> out";
+  auto strongParser = std::make_shared<maddy::StrongParser>();
+
+  strongParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(DISABLED_MADDY_STRONGPARSER, ItOnlyReplacesUnderscoresAtWordBreaks)
+{
+  std::string text = "some __text__bla__ testing __it__ out";
+  std::string expected =
+    "some <strong>text__bla</strong> testing <strong>it</strong> out";
+  auto strongParser = std::make_shared<maddy::StrongParser>();
+
+  strongParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_STRONGPARSER, ItReplacesUnderscoresWithMultipleWords)
+{
+  std::string text = "some __text testing it__ out";
+  std::string expected = "some <strong>text testing it</strong> out";
+  auto strongParser = std::make_shared<maddy::StrongParser>();
+
+  strongParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(DISABLED_MADDY_STRONGPARSER, ItAllowsTripleUnderscores)
+{
+  // I'm not sure if this is standard or not, but this is how the github
+  // markdown parser behaves.  Other things I've seen want it to *not*
+  // match.
+
+  std::string text = "some ___text testing it__ out";
+  std::string expected = "some <strong>_text testing it</strong> out";
+  auto strongParser = std::make_shared<maddy::StrongParser>();
+
+  strongParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_STRONGPARSER, ItDoesntReplaceUnderscoresInsideCodeBlocks)
+{
+  std::string text =
+    "Stuff inside <code> blocks __shouldn't be strong__ </code> at all";
+  std::string expected =
+    "Stuff inside <code> blocks __shouldn't be strong__ </code> at all";
+  auto strongParser = std::make_shared<maddy::StrongParser>();
+
+  strongParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(DISABLED_MADDY_STRONGPARSER, ItDoesNotReplaceUnderscoresInURLs)
+{
+  std::string text = "[Link Title](http://example.com/what__you__didn't__know)";
+  std::string expected =
+    "[Link Title](http://example.com/what__you__didn't__know)";
+  auto strongParser = std::make_shared<maddy::StrongParser>();
+
+  strongParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_STRONGPARSER, ItParsesOutsideCodeBlocks)
+{
+  std::string text =
+    "Stuff inside <code> blocks __shouldn't be strong__ </code>"
+    " but outside __should__.";
+  std::string expected =
+    "Stuff inside <code> blocks __shouldn't be strong__ </code>"
+    " but outside <strong>should</strong>.";
+  auto strongParser = std::make_shared<maddy::StrongParser>();
+
+  strongParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}
+
+TEST(MADDY_STRONGPARSER, ItParsesOutsideTickBlocks)
+{
+  std::string text =
+    "Stuff inside `blocks __shouldn't be strong__ `"
+    " but outside __should__.";
+  std::string expected =
+    "Stuff inside `blocks __shouldn't be strong__ `"
+    " but outside <strong>should</strong>.";
+  auto strongParser = std::make_shared<maddy::StrongParser>();
+
+  strongParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(expected, text);
+}