diff --git a/runtime/plugin/matchparen.vim b/runtime/plugin/matchparen.vim
index 817ce62..3804ab9 100644
--- a/runtime/plugin/matchparen.vim
+++ b/runtime/plugin/matchparen.vim
@@ -98,10 +98,17 @@
     call cursor(c_lnum, c_col - before)
   endif
 
-  " When not in a string or comment ignore matches inside them.
+  " Build an expression that detects whether the current cursor position is in
+  " certain syntax types (string, comment, etc.), for use as searchpairpos()'s
+  " skip argument.
   " We match "escape" for special items, such as lispEscapeSpecial.
-  let s_skip ='synIDattr(synID(line("."), col("."), 0), "name") ' .
-	\ '=~?  "string\\|character\\|singlequote\\|escape\\|comment"'
+  let s_skip = '!empty(filter(map(synstack(line("."), col(".")), ''synIDattr(v:val, "name")''), ' .
+	\ '''v:val =~? "string\\|character\\|singlequote\\|escape\\|comment"''))'
+  " If executing the expression determines that the cursor is currently in
+  " one of the syntax types, then we want searchpairpos() to find the pair
+  " within those syntax types (i.e., not skip).  Otherwise, the cursor is
+  " outside of the syntax types and s_skip should keep its value so we skip any
+  " matching pair inside the syntax types.
   execute 'if' s_skip '| let s_skip = 0 | endif'
 
   " Limit the search to lines visible in the window.