diff --git a/after/syntax/markdown.vim b/after/syntax/markdown.vim
index 76f3201..a150493 100644
--- a/after/syntax/markdown.vim
+++ b/after/syntax/markdown.vim
@@ -13,8 +13,11 @@ syn match markdownCheckboxDelimiter '\[[ x]\]' contained contains=markdownCheckb
 syn match markdownCheckbox '\s*\* \[[ x]\] ' contains=markdownCheckboxDelimiter,markdownListMarker
 syn region markdownCheckboxDone start='\s*\* \ze\[x\] ' keepend end='\ze\(\n^\s*\*\|\n^\s*\n\)' contains=markdownCheckbox,@markdownCheckboxDoneInline
 
-if has('conceal') && get(g:, 'markdown_syntax_conceal', 1) == 1
-  let s:concealends = ' concealends'
+if has('conceal')
+  setlocal conceallevel=0
+  if get(g:, 'markdown_syntax_conceal', 1) == 1
+    let s:concealends = ' concealends'
+  endif
 endif
 exe 'syn region markdownCheckboxItalic matchgroup=markdownCheckboxItalicDelimiter start="\S\@<=\*\|\*\S\@=" end="\S\@<=\*\|\*\S\@=" keepend contains=markdownLineStart,@Spell contained' . s:concealends
 exe 'syn region markdownCheckboxItalic matchgroup=markdownCheckboxItalicDelimiter start="\S\@<=_\|_\S\@=" end="\S\@<=_\|_\S\@=" keepend contains=markdownLineStart,@Spell contained' . s:concealends
@@ -47,4 +50,3 @@ hi link markdownCheckboxCodeDelimiter PreProc
 " yaml frontmatter
 syn region markdownFrontmatter matchgroup=markdownFrontmatterDelimiter start='\%^---' keepend end='^---' contains=@markdownHighlightyaml
 hi default link markdownFrontmatterDelimiter Special
-