diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 04b04f2..f9a500e 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -286,6 +286,10 @@ def parse_line(line):
     return ('text', parse_segments(line))
 
 def parse_segments(line):
+    # Handle escaped asterisks: replace them with a placeholder
+    line = line.replace(r'\*', '\x07')
+
+    # Apply formatting
     bi = re.findall(r"\*\*\*(.+?)\*\*\*", line)
     for x in bi:
         line = line.replace(f"***{x}***", f"\x01{x}\x02")
@@ -295,39 +299,37 @@ def parse_segments(line):
     i = re.findall(r"\*(.+?)\*", line)
     for x in i:
         line = line.replace(f"*{x}*", f"\x05{x}\x06")
+
+    # Split into styled segments
     segments = []
     i = 0
-    style = 'text'
     while i < len(line):
         if line[i] == '\x01':
-            style = 'bolditalic'
             i += 1
             start = i
             while i < len(line) and line[i] != '\x02': i += 1
             segments.append(('bolditalic', line[start:i]))
-            style = 'text'
             i += 1
         elif line[i] == '\x03':
-            style = 'bold'
             i += 1
             start = i
             while i < len(line) and line[i] != '\x04': i += 1
             segments.append(('bold', line[start:i]))
-            style = 'text'
             i += 1
         elif line[i] == '\x05':
-            style = 'italic'
             i += 1
             start = i
             while i < len(line) and line[i] != '\x06': i += 1
             segments.append(('italic', line[start:i]))
-            style = 'text'
             i += 1
         else:
             start = i
             while i < len(line) and line[i] not in '\x01\x03\x05': i += 1
             if i > start:
                 segments.append(('text', line[start:i]))
+
+    # Restore literal asterisks
+    segments = [(style, text.replace('\x07', '*')) for style, text in segments]
     return segments
 
 def font_for_style(style, font, font_bold, font_italic, font_bolditalic):