diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/sh-script.el b/lisp/progmodes/sh-script.el
index 8177329f32b..62e4e5c49e0 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/sh-script.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/sh-script.el
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ subshells can nest."
     ;; metacharacters.  The list of special chars is taken from
     ;; the single-unix spec of the shell command language (under
     ;; `quoting') but with `$' removed.
-    ("\\(?:[^|&;<>(`\\\"' \t\n]\\|\\${\\)\\(#+\\)" (1 "_"))
+    ("\\(?:[^|&;<>(`\\\"' \t\n]\\|\\${\\|\\ \\)\\(#+\\)" (1 "_"))
     ;; In addition, `#' at the beginning of closed parentheses
     ;; does not start a comment if the parentheses are not isolated
     ;; by metacharacters, excluding [()].