diff --git a/lisp/org.el b/lisp/org.el
index 00cc7e0d9..b26e1a31c 100644
--- a/lisp/org.el
+++ b/lisp/org.el
@@ -5020,7 +5020,7 @@ stacked delimiters is N.  Escaping delimiters is not possible."
 
 (defvar org-match-substring-regexp
   (concat
-   "\\([^\\]\\)\\([_^]\\)\\("
+   "\\([^\\]\\|^\\)\\([_^]\\)\\("
    "\\(" (org-create-multibrace-regexp "{" "}" org-match-sexp-depth) "\\)"
    "\\|"
    "\\(" (org-create-multibrace-regexp "(" ")" org-match-sexp-depth) "\\)"
@@ -5030,7 +5030,7 @@ stacked delimiters is N.  Escaping delimiters is not possible."
 
 (defvar org-match-substring-with-braces-regexp
   (concat
-   "\\([^\\]\\)\\([_^]\\)\\("
+   "\\([^\\]\\|^\\)\\([_^]\\)\\("
    "\\(" (org-create-multibrace-regexp "{" "}" org-match-sexp-depth) "\\)"
    "\\)")
   "The regular expression matching a sub- or superscript, forcing braces.")