diff --git a/haskell-mode.el b/haskell-mode.el
index dddbd0b67..ff7f37399 100644
--- a/haskell-mode.el
+++ b/haskell-mode.el
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ Run M-x describe-variable haskell-mode-hook for a list of such modes."))
     (modify-syntax-entry ?\t " " table)
     (modify-syntax-entry ?\" "\"" table)
     (modify-syntax-entry ?\' "_" table)
-    (modify-syntax-entry ?_  "_" table)
+    (modify-syntax-entry ?_  "w" table)
     (modify-syntax-entry ?\( "()" table)
     (modify-syntax-entry ?\) ")(" table)
     (modify-syntax-entry ?\[  "(]" table)