diff -r 7132c780c686 roundup/cgi/templating.py
--- a/roundup/cgi/templating.py	Sun Nov 15 15:17:10 2020 -0500
+++ b/roundup/cgi/templating.py	Sun Nov 22 16:15:26 2020 +0100
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
             _safe_protocols = re.compile('(?!' + ':|'.join([re.escape(s) for s in _disable_url_schemes]) + ':)', re.IGNORECASE)
 
         def _extras(config):
-            extras = { 'fenced-code-blocks' : {}, 'nofollow': None }
+            extras = { 'fenced-code-blocks' : {}, 'nofollow': None, 'code-friendly': True }
             if config['MARKDOWN_BREAK_ON_NEWLINE']:
                 extras['break-on-newline'] = True
             return extras
diff -r 7132c780c686 test/test_templating.py
--- a/test/test_templating.py	Sun Nov 15 15:17:10 2020 -0500
+++ b/test/test_templating.py	Sun Nov 22 16:15:26 2020 +0100
@@ -530,6 +530,12 @@
         else:
             self.assertEqual(m.replace('\n\n', '\n'), '<p>embedded code block &lt;pre&gt;</p>\n<div class="codehilite"><pre><span></span><code><span class="n">line</span> <span class="mi">1</span>\n<span class="n">line</span> <span class="mi">2</span>\n</code></pre></div>\n<p>new &lt;/pre&gt; paragraph</p>')
 
+    def test_string_markdown_intra_word_emphasis(self):
+        ''' also verify that intra-word emphasis is disabled '''
+        p = StringHTMLProperty(self.client, 'test', '1', None, 'test', u2s(u"use 'self.this_long_attr' for the *real* mccoy"))
+        m = p.markdown().strip()
+        self.assertEqual(m, "<p>use 'self.this_long_attr' for the <em>real</em> mccoy</p>")
+
     def test_markdown_return_text_on_exception(self):
         ''' string is invalid markdown. missing end of fenced code block '''
         p = StringHTMLProperty(self.client, 'test', '1', None, 'test', u2s(u'embedded code block <pre>\n\n``` python\nline 1\nline 2\n\n\nnew </pre> paragraph'))