diff --git a/demo/markdownlint-browser.js b/demo/markdownlint-browser.js
index 2b3925f2..185f94ef 100644
--- a/demo/markdownlint-browser.js
+++ b/demo/markdownlint-browser.js
@@ -3712,7 +3712,7 @@ module.exports = {
 // @ts-check
 
 var _a = __webpack_require__(/*! ../helpers */ "../helpers/helpers.js"), addErrorContext = _a.addErrorContext, filterTokens = _a.filterTokens;
-var spaceInLinkRe = /\[(?:\s+(?:[^\]]*?)\s*|(?:[^\]]*?)\s+)](?=\(\S*\))/;
+var spaceInLinkRe = /\[(?:\s+(?:[^\]]*?)\s*|(?:[^\]]*?)\s+)](?=((?:\([^)]*\))|(?:\[[^\]]*\])))/;
 module.exports = {
     "names": ["MD039", "no-space-in-links"],
     "description": "Spaces inside link text",
diff --git a/lib/md039.js b/lib/md039.js
index c65a9cbe..8397cfc5 100644
--- a/lib/md039.js
+++ b/lib/md039.js
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 
 const { addErrorContext, filterTokens } = require("../helpers");
 
-const spaceInLinkRe = /\[(?:\s+(?:[^\]]*?)\s*|(?:[^\]]*?)\s+)](?=\(\S*\))/;
+const spaceInLinkRe =
+  /\[(?:\s+(?:[^\]]*?)\s*|(?:[^\]]*?)\s+)](?=((?:\([^)]*\))|(?:\[[^\]]*\])))/;
 
 module.exports = {
   "names": [ "MD039", "no-space-in-links" ],
diff --git a/test/detailed-results-links.md b/test/detailed-results-links.md
index 3548c6c5..c9d90dc3 100644
--- a/test/detailed-results-links.md
+++ b/test/detailed-results-links.md
@@ -28,3 +28,17 @@ Text <https://example.com/same> more \* text https://example.com/same more \[ te
 Text https://example.com/first more text https://example.com/second still more text https://example.com/third done
 
 (Incorrect link syntax)[https://www.example.com/]
+
+Text [link ](https://example.com/) text.
+
+Text [ link](https://example.com/) text.
+
+Text [ link ](https://example.com/) text.
+
+Text [link ][reference] text.
+
+Text [ link][reference] text.
+
+Text [ link ][reference] text.
+
+[reference]: https://example.com/
diff --git a/test/detailed-results-links.md.fixed b/test/detailed-results-links.md.fixed
index 90f735cf..ab3cf6e0 100644
--- a/test/detailed-results-links.md.fixed
+++ b/test/detailed-results-links.md.fixed
@@ -28,3 +28,17 @@ Text <https://example.com/same> more \* text https://example.com/same more \[ te
 Text <https://example.com/first> more text <https://example.com/second> still more text <https://example.com/third> done
 
 [Incorrect link syntax](https://www.example.com/)
+
+Text [link](https://example.com/) text.
+
+Text [link](https://example.com/) text.
+
+Text [link](https://example.com/) text.
+
+Text [link][reference] text.
+
+Text [link][reference] text.
+
+Text [link][reference] text.
+
+[reference]: https://example.com/
diff --git a/test/detailed-results-links.results.json b/test/detailed-results-links.results.json
index 9d6c721a..8dc8bae9 100644
--- a/test/detailed-results-links.results.json
+++ b/test/detailed-results-links.results.json
@@ -271,5 +271,125 @@
       "deleteCount": 25,
       "insertText": "<https://example.com/third>"
     }
+  },
+  {
+    "lineNumber": 32,
+    "ruleNames": [
+      "MD039",
+      "no-space-in-links"
+    ],
+    "ruleDescription": "Spaces inside link text",
+    "ruleInformation": "https://github.com/DavidAnson/markdownlint/blob/v0.0.0/doc/Rules.md#md039",
+    "errorDetail": null,
+    "errorContext": "[link ]",
+    "errorRange": [
+      6,
+      7
+    ],
+    "fixInfo": {
+      "editColumn": 7,
+      "deleteCount": 5,
+      "insertText": "link"
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    "lineNumber": 34,
+    "ruleNames": [
+      "MD039",
+      "no-space-in-links"
+    ],
+    "ruleDescription": "Spaces inside link text",
+    "ruleInformation": "https://github.com/DavidAnson/markdownlint/blob/v0.0.0/doc/Rules.md#md039",
+    "errorDetail": null,
+    "errorContext": "[ link]",
+    "errorRange": [
+      6,
+      7
+    ],
+    "fixInfo": {
+      "editColumn": 7,
+      "deleteCount": 5,
+      "insertText": "link"
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    "lineNumber": 36,
+    "ruleNames": [
+      "MD039",
+      "no-space-in-links"
+    ],
+    "ruleDescription": "Spaces inside link text",
+    "ruleInformation": "https://github.com/DavidAnson/markdownlint/blob/v0.0.0/doc/Rules.md#md039",
+    "errorDetail": null,
+    "errorContext": "[ link ]",
+    "errorRange": [
+      6,
+      8
+    ],
+    "fixInfo": {
+      "editColumn": 7,
+      "deleteCount": 6,
+      "insertText": "link"
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    "lineNumber": 38,
+    "ruleNames": [
+      "MD039",
+      "no-space-in-links"
+    ],
+    "ruleDescription": "Spaces inside link text",
+    "ruleInformation": "https://github.com/DavidAnson/markdownlint/blob/v0.0.0/doc/Rules.md#md039",
+    "errorDetail": null,
+    "errorContext": "[link ]",
+    "errorRange": [
+      6,
+      7
+    ],
+    "fixInfo": {
+      "editColumn": 7,
+      "deleteCount": 5,
+      "insertText": "link"
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    "lineNumber": 40,
+    "ruleNames": [
+      "MD039",
+      "no-space-in-links"
+    ],
+    "ruleDescription": "Spaces inside link text",
+    "ruleInformation": "https://github.com/DavidAnson/markdownlint/blob/v0.0.0/doc/Rules.md#md039",
+    "errorDetail": null,
+    "errorContext": "[ link]",
+    "errorRange": [
+      6,
+      7
+    ],
+    "fixInfo": {
+      "editColumn": 7,
+      "deleteCount": 5,
+      "insertText": "link"
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    "lineNumber": 42,
+    "ruleNames": [
+      "MD039",
+      "no-space-in-links"
+    ],
+    "ruleDescription": "Spaces inside link text",
+    "ruleInformation": "https://github.com/DavidAnson/markdownlint/blob/v0.0.0/doc/Rules.md#md039",
+    "errorDetail": null,
+    "errorContext": "[ link ]",
+    "errorRange": [
+      6,
+      8
+    ],
+    "fixInfo": {
+      "editColumn": 7,
+      "deleteCount": 6,
+      "insertText": "link"
+    }
   }
 ]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/spaces_inside_link_text.md b/test/spaces_inside_link_text.md
index 8e6baa15..84176ff4 100644
--- a/test/spaces_inside_link_text.md
+++ b/test/spaces_inside_link_text.md
@@ -50,3 +50,15 @@ Wrapped [ link with leading space
   ](https://example.com) {MD039}
 
 Non-wrapped [ link with leading space](https://example.com) {MD039}
+
+[][ref]
+
+[link][ref]
+
+[link ][ref] {MD039}
+
+[ link][ref] {MD039}
+
+[ link ][ref] {MD039}
+
+[ref]: https://example.com