diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 79fe13c..c876131 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,9 +18,11 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org).
 * Fixed highlighting of SFD `GaspTable` fields without colons
 * Fixed missing highlighting of BDF comments which precede `STARTFONT`
 * Fixed missing highlighting of FontForge's Unicode codepoint literals
+* Fixed [various inaccuracies][1] related to modeline matching
 
 [bez]: https://github.com/adobe-type-tools/psautohint/blob/99e1cb862/doc/bezformat.md
 [fd]: https://github.com/adobe-type-tools/psautohint/blob/12bffdd/python/psautohint/fdTools.py
+[1]: https://github.com/github/linguist/pull/5271
 
 
 [v1.3.0]
diff --git a/grammars/afm.cson b/grammars/afm.cson
index fa1f6c2..f574054 100644
--- a/grammars/afm.cson
+++ b/grammars/afm.cson
@@ -6,20 +6,20 @@ firstLineMatch: """(?x)
 	^Start(?:Comp|Master)?FontMetrics\\s+(?:\\d+(?:\\.\\d+)?)\\s*$
 	|
 	# Modeline
-	(?i:
+	(?:
 		# Emacs
-		-\\*-(?:\\s*(?=[^:;\\s]+\\s*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[;\\s]|(?<=-\\*-))mode\\s*:\\s*)
-			(?:afm|adobe[-_]?font[-_]?metrics)
-		(?=[\\s;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
+		-\\*-(?i:[ \\t]*(?=[^:;\\s]+[ \\t]*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[ \\t;]|(?<=-\\*-))[ \\t]*mode[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*)
+			(?i:afm|adobe[-_]?font[-_]?metrics)
+		(?=[ \\t;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
 		
 		|
 		
 		# Vim
-		(?:(?:\\s|^)vi(?:m[<=>]?\\d+|m)?|\\sex)(?=:(?=\\s*set?\\s[^\\n:]+:)|:(?!\\s* set?\\s))
-		(?:(?:\\s|\\s*:\\s*)\\w*(?:\\s*=(?:[^\\n\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[\\s:]
-		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)\\s*=
-			(?:afm|adobe[-_]?font[-_]?metrics)
-		(?=\\s|:|$)
+		(?:(?:^|[ \\t])(?:vi|Vi(?=m))(?:m[<=>]?[0-9]+|m)?|[ \\t]ex)(?=:(?=[ \\t]*set?[ \\t][^\\r\\n:]+:)|:(?![ \\t]*set?[ \\t]))
+		(?:(?:[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*|[ \\t])\\w*(?:[ \\t]*=(?:[^\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[ \\t:]
+		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)[ \\t]*=
+			(?i:afm|adobe[-_]?font[-_]?metrics)
+		(?=$|\\s|:)
 	)
 """
 foldStartPattern: "^Start([A-Z]\\w+)(?=\\s|$)"
diff --git a/grammars/bdf.cson b/grammars/bdf.cson
index 5a57ccd..db6289d 100644
--- a/grammars/bdf.cson
+++ b/grammars/bdf.cson
@@ -6,20 +6,20 @@ firstLineMatch: """(?x)
 	^STARTFONT\\s+[0-9]+\\.[0-9]+\\s*$
 	|
 	# Modeline
-	(?i:
+	(?:
 		# Emacs
-		-\\*-(?:\\s*(?=[^:;\\s]+\\s*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[;\\s]|(?<=-\\*-))mode\\s*:\\s*)
-			bdf
-		(?=[\\s;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
+		-\\*-(?i:[ \\t]*(?=[^:;\\s]+[ \\t]*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[ \\t;]|(?<=-\\*-))[ \\t]*mode[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*)
+			(?i:bdf)
+		(?=[ \\t;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
 		
 		|
 		
 		# Vim
-		(?:(?:\\s|^)vi(?:m[<=>]?\\d+|m)?|\\sex)(?=:(?=\\s*set?\\s[^\\n:]+:)|:(?!\\s* set?\\s))
-		(?:(?:\\s|\\s*:\\s*)\\w*(?:\\s*=(?:[^\\n\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[\\s:]
-		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)\\s*=
-			bdf
-		(?=\\s|:|$)
+		(?:(?:^|[ \\t])(?:vi|Vi(?=m))(?:m[<=>]?[0-9]+|m)?|[ \\t]ex)(?=:(?=[ \\t]*set?[ \\t][^\\r\\n:]+:)|:(?![ \\t]*set?[ \\t]))
+		(?:(?:[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*|[ \\t])\\w*(?:[ \\t]*=(?:[^\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[ \\t:]
+		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)[ \\t]*=
+			(?i:bdf)
+		(?=$|\\s|:)
 	)
 """
 patterns: [include: "#main"]
diff --git a/grammars/bez.cson b/grammars/bez.cson
index 879513a..e4d5214 100644
--- a/grammars/bez.cson
+++ b/grammars/bez.cson
@@ -3,22 +3,20 @@ name: "Standard Bézier"
 scopeName: "source.stdbez"
 fileTypes: ["bez"]
 firstLineMatch: """(?x)
-	# Modeline
-	(?i:
-		# Emacs
-		-\\*-(?:\\s*(?=[^:;\\s]+\\s*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[;\\s]|(?<=-\\*-))mode\\s*:\\s*)
-			(?:std|standard)[-_]?bez(?:ier)?
-		(?=[\\s;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
-		
-		|
-		
-		# Vim
-		(?:(?:\\s|^)vi(?:m[<=>]?\\d+|m)?|\\sex)(?=:(?=\\s*set?\\s[^\\n:]+:)|:(?!\\s* set?\\s))
-		(?:(?:\\s|\\s*:\\s*)\\w*(?:\\s*=(?:[^\\n\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[\\s:]
-		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)\\s*=
-			(?:std|standard)[-_]?bez(?:ier)?
-		(?=\\s|:|$)
-	)
+
+	# Emacs modeline
+	-\\*-(?i:[ \\t]*(?=[^:;\\s]+[ \\t]*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[ \\t;]|(?<=-\\*-))[ \\t]*mode[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*)
+		(?i:(?:std|standard)[-_]?bez(?:ier)?)
+	(?=[ \\t;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
+	
+	|
+	
+	# Vim modeline
+	(?:(?:^|[ \\t])(?:vi|Vi(?=m))(?:m[<=>]?[0-9]+|m)?|[ \\t]ex)(?=:(?=[ \\t]*set?[ \\t][^\\r\\n:]+:)|:(?![ \\t]*set?[ \\t]))
+	(?:(?:[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*|[ \\t])\\w*(?:[ \\t]*=(?:[^\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[ \\t:]
+	(?:filetype|ft|syntax)[ \\t]*=
+		(?i:(?:std|standard)[-_]?bez(?:ier)?)
+	(?=$|\\s|:)
 """
 patterns: [include: "#main"]
 
diff --git a/grammars/ff-script.cson b/grammars/ff-script.cson
index 89cedbf..9a8a21e 100644
--- a/grammars/ff-script.cson
+++ b/grammars/ff-script.cson
@@ -7,20 +7,20 @@ firstLineMatch: """(?x)
 	(?!.*?[ \\t]-lang(?:=|\\s+)py)
 	|
 	# Modeline
-	(?i:
+	(?:
 		# Emacs
-		-\\*-(?:\\s*(?=[^:;\\s]+\\s*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[;\\s]|(?<=-\\*-))mode\\s*:\\s*)
-			(?:fontforge|pfaedit)
-		(?=[\\s;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
+		-\\*-(?i:[ \\t]*(?=[^:;\\s]+[ \\t]*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[ \\t;]|(?<=-\\*-))[ \\t]*mode[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*)
+			(?i:fontforge|pfaedit)
+		(?=[ \\t;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
 		
 		|
 		
 		# Vim
-		(?:(?:\\s|^)vi(?:m[<=>]?\\d+|m)?|\\sex)(?=:(?=\\s*set?\\s[^\\n:]+:)|:(?!\\s* set?\\s))
-		(?:(?:\\s|\\s*:\\s*)\\w*(?:\\s*=(?:[^\\n\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[\\s:]
-		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)\\s*=
-			(?:fontforge|pfaedit)
-		(?=\\s|:|$)
+		(?:(?:^|[ \\t])(?:vi|Vi(?=m))(?:m[<=>]?[0-9]+|m)?|[ \\t]ex)(?=:(?=[ \\t]*set?[ \\t][^\\r\\n:]+:)|:(?![ \\t]*set?[ \\t]))
+		(?:(?:[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*|[ \\t])\\w*(?:[ \\t]*=(?:[^\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[ \\t:]
+		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)[ \\t]*=
+			(?i:fontforge|pfaedit)
+		(?=$|\\s|:)
 	)
 """
 patterns: [include: "#main"]
diff --git a/grammars/ff-sfd.cson b/grammars/ff-sfd.cson
index bd0cec6..9353535 100644
--- a/grammars/ff-sfd.cson
+++ b/grammars/ff-sfd.cson
@@ -7,20 +7,20 @@ firstLineMatch: """(?x)
 	^SplineFontDB:\\ [\\d.]+
 	|
 	# Modeline
-	(?i:
+	(?:
 		# Emacs
-		-\\*-(?:\\s*(?=[^:;\\s]+\\s*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[;\\s]|(?<=-\\*-))mode\\s*:\\s*)
-			(?:sfd|spline[-_]?font[-_]?(?:database|db))
-		(?=[\\s;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
+		-\\*-(?i:[ \\t]*(?=[^:;\\s]+[ \\t]*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[ \\t;]|(?<=-\\*-))[ \\t]*mode[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*)
+			(?i:sfd|spline[-_]?font[-_]?(?:database|db))
+		(?=[ \\t;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
 		
 		|
 		
 		# Vim
-		(?:(?:\\s|^)vi(?:m[<=>]?\\d+|m)?|\\sex)(?=:(?=\\s*set?\\s[^\\n:]+:)|:(?!\\s* set?\\s))
-		(?:(?:\\s|\\s*:\\s*)\\w*(?:\\s*=(?:[^\\n\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[\\s:]
-		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)\\s*=
-			(?:sfd|spline[-_]?font[-_]?(?:database|db))
-		(?=\\s|:|$)
+		(?:(?:^|[ \\t])(?:vi|Vi(?=m))(?:m[<=>]?[0-9]+|m)?|[ \\t]ex)(?=:(?=[ \\t]*set?[ \\t][^\\r\\n:]+:)|:(?![ \\t]*set?[ \\t]))
+		(?:(?:[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*|[ \\t])\\w*(?:[ \\t]*=(?:[^\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[ \\t:]
+		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)[ \\t]*=
+			(?i:sfd|spline[-_]?font[-_]?(?:database|db))
+		(?=$|\\s|:)
 	)
 """
 patterns: [include: "#main"]
diff --git a/grammars/figlet-control.cson b/grammars/figlet-control.cson
index 06c9c98..8993b32 100644
--- a/grammars/figlet-control.cson
+++ b/grammars/figlet-control.cson
@@ -6,20 +6,20 @@ firstLineMatch: """(?x)
 	\\Aflc2a
 	|
 	# Modeline
-	(?i:
+	(?:
 		# Emacs
-		-\\*-(?:\\s*(?=[^:;\\s]+\\s*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[;\\s]|(?<=-\\*-))mode\\s*:\\s*)
-			(?:fig(?:let)?+[-_]?(?:cfg|config|conf|control|ctrl))
-		(?=[\\s;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
+		-\\*-(?i:[ \\t]*(?=[^:;\\s]+[ \\t]*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[ \\t;]|(?<=-\\*-))[ \\t]*mode[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*)
+			(?i:fig(?:let)?+[-_]?(?:cfg|config|conf|control|ctrl))
+		(?=[ \\t;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
 		
 		|
 		
 		# Vim
-		(?:(?:\\s|^)vi(?:m[<=>]?\\d+|m)?|\\sex)(?=:(?=\\s*set?\\s[^\\n:]+:)|:(?!\\s* set?\\s))
-		(?:(?:\\s|\\s*:\\s*)\\w*(?:\\s*=(?:[^\\n\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[\\s:]
-		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)\\s*=
-			(?:fig(?:let)?+[-_]?(?:cfg|config|conf|control|ctrl))
-		(?=\\s|:|$)
+		(?:(?:^|[ \\t])(?:vi|Vi(?=m))(?:m[<=>]?[0-9]+|m)?|[ \\t]ex)(?=:(?=[ \\t]*set?[ \\t][^\\r\\n:]+:)|:(?![ \\t]*set?[ \\t]))
+		(?:(?:[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*|[ \\t])\\w*(?:[ \\t]*=(?:[^\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[ \\t:]
+		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)[ \\t]*=
+			(?i:fig(?:let)?+[-_]?(?:cfg|config|conf|control|ctrl))
+		(?=$|\\s|:)
 	)
 """
 patterns: [{
diff --git a/grammars/figlet-font.cson b/grammars/figlet-font.cson
index e7ee573..539afe2 100644
--- a/grammars/figlet-font.cson
+++ b/grammars/figlet-font.cson
@@ -6,20 +6,20 @@ firstLineMatch: """(?x)
 	\\Aflf2a
 	|
 	# Modeline
-	(?i:
+	(?:
 		# Emacs
-		-\\*-(?:\\s*(?=[^:;\\s]+\\s*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[;\\s]|(?<=-\\*-))mode\\s*:\\s*)
-			(?:fig(?:let)?+[-_]?(?:font|(?<=let)))
-		(?=[\\s;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
+		-\\*-(?i:[ \\t]*(?=[^:;\\s]+[ \\t]*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[ \\t;]|(?<=-\\*-))[ \\t]*mode[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*)
+			(?i:fig(?:let)?+[-_]?(?:font|(?<=let)))
+		(?=[ \\t;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
 		
 		|
 		
 		# Vim
-		(?:(?:\\s|^)vi(?:m[<=>]?\\d+|m)?|\\sex)(?=:(?=\\s*set?\\s[^\\n:]+:)|:(?!\\s* set?\\s))
-		(?:(?:\\s|\\s*:\\s*)\\w*(?:\\s*=(?:[^\\n\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[\\s:]
-		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)\\s*=
-			(?:fig(?:let)?+[-_]?(?:font|(?<=let)))
-		(?=\\s|:|$)
+		(?:(?:^|[ \\t])(?:vi|Vi(?=m))(?:m[<=>]?[0-9]+|m)?|[ \\t]ex)(?=:(?=[ \\t]*set?[ \\t][^\\r\\n:]+:)|:(?![ \\t]*set?[ \\t]))
+		(?:(?:[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*|[ \\t])\\w*(?:[ \\t]*=(?:[^\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[ \\t:]
+		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)[ \\t]*=
+			(?i:fig(?:let)?+[-_]?(?:font|(?<=let)))
+		(?=$|\\s|:)
 	)
 """
 patterns: [include: "#main"]
diff --git a/grammars/opentype.cson b/grammars/opentype.cson
index 9a7b847..8c2ddc3 100644
--- a/grammars/opentype.cson
+++ b/grammars/opentype.cson
@@ -7,20 +7,20 @@ firstLineMatch: """(?x)
 	\\A\\s*@figures\\s+=\\s+\\\[\\r?\\n\\s*zero(?:$|\\s)
 	|
 	# Modeline
-	(?i:
+	(?:
 		# Emacs
-		-\\*-(?:\\s*(?=[^:;\\s]+\\s*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[;\\s]|(?<=-\\*-))mode\\s*:\\s*)
-			(?:fea(?:tures?(?:[-_]?file)?)|opentype|otf)
-		(?=[\\s;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
+		-\\*-(?i:[ \\t]*(?=[^:;\\s]+[ \\t]*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[ \\t;]|(?<=-\\*-))[ \\t]*mode[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*)
+			(?i:fea(?:tures?(?:[-_]?file)?)|opentype|otf)
+		(?=[ \\t;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
 		
 		|
 		
 		# Vim
-		(?:(?:\\s|^)vi(?:m[<=>]?\\d+|m)?|\\sex)(?=:(?=\\s*set?\\s[^\\n:]+:)|:(?!\\s* set?\\s))
-		(?:(?:\\s|\\s*:\\s*)\\w*(?:\\s*=(?:[^\\n\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[\\s:]
-		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)\\s*=
-			(?:fea(?:tures?(?:[-_]?file)?)|opentype|otf)
-		(?=\\s|:|$)
+		(?:(?:^|[ \\t])(?:vi|Vi(?=m))(?:m[<=>]?[0-9]+|m)?|[ \\t]ex)(?=:(?=[ \\t]*set?[ \\t][^\\r\\n:]+:)|:(?![ \\t]*set?[ \\t]))
+		(?:(?:[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*|[ \\t])\\w*(?:[ \\t]*=(?:[^\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[ \\t:]
+		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)[ \\t]*=
+			(?i:fea(?:tures?(?:[-_]?file)?)|opentype|otf)
+		(?=$|\\s|:)
 	)
 """
 patterns: [include: "#main"]
diff --git a/grammars/x-fontdir.cson b/grammars/x-fontdir.cson
index fd385d2..ce30b2d 100644
--- a/grammars/x-fontdir.cson
+++ b/grammars/x-fontdir.cson
@@ -8,22 +8,20 @@ fileTypes: [
 	"encodings.dir"
 ]
 firstLineMatch: """(?x)
-	# Modeline
-	(?i:
-		# Emacs
-		-\\*-(?:\\s*(?=[^:;\\s]+\\s*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[;\\s]|(?<=-\\*-))mode\\s*:\\s*)
-			fontdir
-		(?=[\\s;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
-		
-		|
-		
-		# Vim
-		(?:(?:\\s|^)vi(?:m[<=>]?\\d+|m)?|\\sex)(?=:(?=\\s*set?\\s[^\\n:]+:)|:(?!\\s* set?\\s))
-		(?:(?:\\s|\\s*:\\s*)\\w*(?:\\s*=(?:[^\\n\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[\\s:]
-		(?:filetype|ft|syntax)\\s*=
-			fontdir
-		(?=\\s|:|$)
-	)
+	
+	# Emacs modeline
+	-\\*-(?i:[ \\t]*(?=[^:;\\s]+[ \\t]*-\\*-)|(?:.*?[ \\t;]|(?<=-\\*-))[ \\t]*mode[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*)
+		(?i:fontdir)
+	(?=[ \\t;]|(?<![-*])-\\*-).*?-\\*-
+	
+	|
+	
+	# Vim modeline
+	(?:(?:^|[ \\t])(?:vi|Vi(?=m))(?:m[<=>]?[0-9]+|m)?|[ \\t]ex)(?=:(?=[ \\t]*set?[ \\t][^\\r\\n:]+:)|:(?![ \\t]*set?[ \\t]))
+	(?:(?:[ \\t]*:[ \\t]*|[ \\t])\\w*(?:[ \\t]*=(?:[^\\\\\\s]|\\\\.)*)?)*[ \\t:]
+	(?:filetype|ft|syntax)[ \\t]*=
+		(?i:fontdir)
+	(?=$|\\s|:)
 """
 patterns: [include: "#main"]