diff --git a/talon/quotations.py b/talon/quotations.py
index 996f79d..51cf027 100644
--- a/talon/quotations.py
+++ b/talon/quotations.py
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ def process_marked_lines(lines, markers, return_flags=[False, -1, -1]):
     # inlined reply
     # use lookbehind assertions to find overlapping entries e.g. for 'mtmtm'
     # both 't' entries should be found
-    for inline_reply in re.finditer('(?<=m)e*((?:t+e*)+)m', markers):
+    for inline_reply in re.finditer('(?<=m)e*(t[te]*)m', markers):
         # long links could break sequence of quotation lines but they shouldn't
         # be considered an inline reply
         links = (