diff --git a/lib/marked.js b/lib/marked.js
index bdfd01cb..51e50987 100644
--- a/lib/marked.js
+++ b/lib/marked.js
@@ -185,8 +185,9 @@ var inline = {
   escape: /^\\([\\`*{}\[\]()#+\-.!_])/,
   autolink: /^<([^ >]+(@|:\/)[^ >]+)>/,
   tag: /^<!--[^\0]*?-->|^<[^\n>]+>/,
-  link: /^!?\[([^\]]+)\]\s*\(([^\)]*)\)/,
-  reflink: /^!?\[([^\]]+)\]\s*\[([^\]]*)\]/,
+  link: /^!?\[((?:\[[^\]]*\]|[^\[\]])*)\]\s*\(([^\)]*)\)/,
+  reflink: /^!?\[((?:\[[^\]]*\]|[^\[\]])*)\]\s*\[([^\]]*)\]/,
+  nolink: /^!?\[((?:\[[^\]]*\]|[^\[\]])*)\]/,
   strong: /^__([^\0]+?)__(?!_)|^\*\*([^\0]+?)\*\*(?!\*)/,
   em: /^_([^_]+)_|^\*([^*]+)\*/,
   code: /^`([^`]+)`|^``([^\0]+?)``/
@@ -262,7 +263,7 @@ inline.lexer = function(str) {
         break;
       case 'link':
       case 'reflink':
-        if (key === 'reflink') {
+        if (key !== 'link') {
           link = cap[2] 
             ? links[cap[2]] 
             : links[cap[1]];
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ inline.lexer = function(str) {
             break;
           }
         } else {
-          text = /^\s*([^\s]*)(?:\s+"([^\n]+)")?\s*$/.exec(cap[2]);
+          text = /^\s*<?([^\s]*?)>?(?:\s+"([^\n]+)")?\s*$/.exec(cap[2]);
           link = {
             href: text[1],
             title: text[2]