diff --git a/src/actions.cpp b/src/actions.cpp
index bd10a7f..d1d1483 100644
--- a/src/actions.cpp
+++ b/src/actions.cpp
@@ -380,14 +380,7 @@ namespace quickbook
         values.finish();
 
         out << markup.pre;
-        if (std::string const* ptr = find(macro, content.get_quickbook().c_str()))
-        {
-            out << *ptr;
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            out << content.get_boostbook();
-        }
+        out << content.get_boostbook();
         out << markup.post;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/actions.hpp b/src/actions.hpp
index 27a39c1..7fc0e8e 100644
--- a/src/actions.hpp
+++ b/src/actions.hpp
@@ -124,16 +124,13 @@ namespace quickbook
 
         simple_phrase_action(
             collector& out
-          , string_symbols const& macro
           , quickbook::actions& actions)
         : out(out)
-        , macro(macro)
         , actions(actions) {}
 
         void operator()(char) const;
 
         collector& out;
-        string_symbols const& macro;
         quickbook::actions& actions;
     };
 
diff --git a/src/actions_class.cpp b/src/actions_class.cpp
index 7487a66..48f1602 100644
--- a/src/actions_class.cpp
+++ b/src/actions_class.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ namespace quickbook
         , raw_char(phrase, *this)
         , escape_unicode(phrase, *this)
 
-        , simple_markup(phrase, macro, *this)
+        , simple_markup(phrase, *this)
 
         , break_(phrase, *this)
         , do_macro(phrase, *this)
diff --git a/src/main_grammar.cpp b/src/main_grammar.cpp
index 69d374b..d70a225 100644
--- a/src/main_grammar.cpp
+++ b/src/main_grammar.cpp
@@ -368,10 +368,10 @@ namespace quickbook
             ;
 
         local.simple_markup =
-                cl::chset<>("*/_=")            [local.simple_markup.mark = ph::arg1]
-            >>  cl::eps_p(cl::graph_p)         // graph_p must follow first mark
+                cl::chset<>("*/_=")             [local.simple_markup.mark = ph::arg1]
+            >>  cl::eps_p(cl::graph_p)          // graph_p must follow first mark
             >>  lookback
-                [   cl::anychar_p
+                [   cl::anychar_p               // skip back over the markup
                 >>  ~cl::eps_p(cl::f_ch_p(local.simple_markup.mark))
                                                 // first mark not be preceeded by
                                                 // the same character.
@@ -384,11 +384,12 @@ namespace quickbook
                 [
                     actions.scoped_output()
                     [
-                        (+( ~cl::eps_p(local.simple_markup_end)
-                        >>  local.nested_char
-                        ))                      [actions.docinfo_value(ph::arg1, ph::arg2)]
-                    ]                           
-                    >>  cl::f_ch_p(local.simple_markup.mark)
+                        (   cl::eps_p(actions.macro >> local.simple_markup_end)
+                        >>  actions.macro       [actions.do_macro]
+                        |   +(~cl::eps_p(local.simple_markup_end) >> local.nested_char)
+                        )                       [actions.docinfo_value(ph::arg1, ph::arg2)]
+                    ]
+                >>  cl::f_ch_p(local.simple_markup.mark)
                                                 [actions.simple_markup]
                 ]
             ;