diff --git a/lisp/textmodes/texinfo.el b/lisp/textmodes/texinfo.el
index dbdd532a1d9..0045d3b9939 100644
--- a/lisp/textmodes/texinfo.el
+++ b/lisp/textmodes/texinfo.el
@@ -374,9 +374,9 @@ value of texinfo-mode-hook."
   (make-local-variable 'indent-tabs-mode)
   (setq indent-tabs-mode nil)
   (make-local-variable 'paragraph-separate)
-  (setq paragraph-separate (concat "^\b\\|^@[a-zA-Z]*[ \n]\\|" paragraph-separate))
+  (setq paragraph-separate (concat "\b\\|@[a-zA-Z]*[ \n]\\|" paragraph-separate))
   (make-local-variable 'paragraph-start)
-  (setq paragraph-start (concat "^\b\\|^@[a-zA-Z]*[ \n]\\|" paragraph-start))
+  (setq paragraph-start (concat "\b\\|@[a-zA-Z]*[ \n]\\|" paragraph-start))
   (make-local-variable 'fill-column)
   (setq fill-column 72)
   (make-local-variable 'comment-start)