diff --git a/editors/code/rust.tmGrammar.json b/editors/code/rust.tmGrammar.json
index f551498ac11..608a3354ee9 100644
--- a/editors/code/rust.tmGrammar.json
+++ b/editors/code/rust.tmGrammar.json
@@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@
                 {
                     "comment": "variables",
                     "name": "variable.other.rust",
-                    "match": "\\b(?<!\\.)(?:r#(?!(crate|[Ss]elf|super)))?[a-z0-9_]+\\b"
+                    "match": "\\b(?<!(?<!\\.)\\.)(?:r#(?!(crate|[Ss]elf|super)))?[a-z0-9_]+\\b"
                 }
             ]
         }