diff --git a/lib/md033.js b/lib/md033.js
index 2cfdc6b0..a36870b7 100644
--- a/lib/md033.js
+++ b/lib/md033.js
@@ -30,11 +30,13 @@ module.exports = {
           !tag.endsWith("\\>") && !bareUrlRe.test(content) &&
           !emailAddressRe.test(content)) {
           const prefix = line.substring(0, match.index);
-          if (!linkDestinationRe.test(prefix) && !inlineCodeRe.test(prefix) &&
-            !unescapeMarkdown(prefix + "<", "_").endsWith("_") &&
-            (unescapeMarkdown(prefix + "`", "_").match(/`/g).length % 2)) {
-            addError(onError, lineIndex + 1, "Element: " + element,
-              null, [ match.index + 1, tag.length ]);
+          if (!linkDestinationRe.test(prefix) && !inlineCodeRe.test(prefix)) {
+            const unescaped = unescapeMarkdown(prefix + "<", "_");
+            if (!unescaped.endsWith("_") &&
+              ((unescaped + "`").match(/`/g).length % 2)) {
+              addError(onError, lineIndex + 1, "Element: " + element,
+                null, [ match.index + 1, tag.length ]);
+            }
           }
         }
       }