diff --git a/lisp/org.el b/lisp/org.el
index 2750e8a22..8aaa0d34b 100755
--- a/lisp/org.el
+++ b/lisp/org.el
@@ -6392,7 +6392,7 @@ needs to be inserted at a specific position in the font-lock sequence.")
 	   '(org-activate-code (1 'org-code t))
 	   ;; COMMENT
 	   (list (format
-		  "^\\*\\(?: +%s\\)?\\(?: +\\[#[A-Z0-9]\\]\\)? +\\(?9:%s\\)\\(?: \\|$\\)"
+		  "^\\*+\\(?: +%s\\)?\\(?: +\\[#[A-Z0-9]\\]\\)? +\\(?9:%s\\)\\(?: \\|$\\)"
 		  org-todo-regexp
 		  org-comment-string)
 		 '(9 'org-special-keyword t))