diff --git a/lib/src/widgets/markdown/markdown_mention.dart b/lib/src/widgets/markdown/markdown_mention.dart
index ad009d24..90ce4fae 100644
--- a/lib/src/widgets/markdown/markdown_mention.dart
+++ b/lib/src/widgets/markdown/markdown_mention.dart
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class MentionMarkdownSyntax extends md.InlineSyntax {
     @jwr1
   */
   static const String _mentionPattern =
-      r'(?:(?:(?:https?:\/\/)?([a-zA-Z0-9][a-zA-Z0-9.-]*\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}))?\/([umc])\/@?|(@|!))([a-zA-Z0-9_]+)(?:@([a-zA-Z0-9][a-zA-Z0-9.-]*\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}))?';
+      r'(?:^|\s)(?:(?:(?:https?:\/\/)?([a-zA-Z0-9][a-zA-Z0-9.-]*\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}))?\/([umc])\/@?|(@|!))([a-zA-Z0-9_]+)(?:@([a-zA-Z0-9][a-zA-Z0-9.-]*\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}))?';
 
   /*
     Should match the following patterns: