diff --git a/after/ftplugin/markdown.vim b/after/ftplugin/markdown.vim
index 1228acd..eca3dac 100644
--- a/after/ftplugin/markdown.vim
+++ b/after/ftplugin/markdown.vim
@@ -26,13 +26,6 @@ function! MarkdownFold(lnum)
   return '='
 endfunction
 
-hi link markdownCode Special
-hi link markdownCodeDelimiter PreProc
-hi link markdownHeadingDelimiter Statement
-hi link markdownLinkDelimiter PreProc
-hi link markdownLinkTextDelimiter PreProc
-hi link markdownUrl Include
-
 " Max 80 chars wide.
 setlocal textwidth=80
 " Use tabwidth of 4 to be markdown complient.
diff --git a/after/syntax/markdown.vim b/after/syntax/markdown.vim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2ddbd4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/after/syntax/markdown.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+" Add match for GitHub style check boxes
+syn match markdownCheckboxDelimiter '[\[\]]' contained
+syn match markdownCheckboxTick 'x' contained
+syn match markdownCheckbox '\*\s\[\(x\|\s\)\]\s' contains=markdownCheckboxDelimiter,markdownCheckboxTick,markdownListMarker
+
+hi link markdownCode Special
+hi link markdownCodeDelimiter PreProc
+hi link markdownHeadingDelimiter Statement
+hi link markdownLinkDelimiter PreProc
+hi link markdownLinkTextDelimiter PreProc
+hi link markdownUrl Include
+hi link markdownCheckboxTick Statement
+hi link markdownCheckboxDelimiter PreProc