diff --git a/add_links/match.py b/add_links/match.py
index 732e3ba..4c6af97 100644
--- a/add_links/match.py
+++ b/add_links/match.py
@@ -116,10 +116,15 @@ def find_cite_template_spans(text: str) -> list[tuple[int, int]]:
 def parse_cite(text: str) -> typing.Iterator[tuple[str, str]]:
     """Parse citations yielding (type, chunk) tuples, skipping ref tags, cite templates, and external links."""
     regions = [(m.start(), m.end()) for m in re_cite.finditer(text)]
+    link_spans = [(m.start(), m.end()) for m in re_link_in_text.finditer(text)]
     regions.extend(find_cite_template_spans(text))
     regions.extend((m.start(), m.end()) for m in re_no_param_template.finditer(text))
     regions.extend((m.start(), m.end()) for m in re_external_link.finditer(text))
-    regions.extend((m.start(), m.end()) for m in re_italic.finditer(text))
+    regions.extend(
+        (m.start(), m.end())
+        for m in re_italic.finditer(text)
+        if not any(start <= m.start() and m.end() <= end for start, end in link_spans)
+    )
     regions.extend((m.start(), m.end()) for m in re_bullet_with_url.finditer(text))
     regions.sort()
 
diff --git a/test_match.py b/test_match.py
index c50470e..a9bbb7a 100644
--- a/test_match.py
+++ b/test_match.py
@@ -70,6 +70,26 @@ class FindLinkInContentTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(replacement, "electoral fraud|ballot stuffing")
         self.assertEqual(replaced_text, "ballot stuffing")
 
+    def test_italic_text_inside_existing_link_does_not_split_link(self) -> None:
+        content = (
+            'For instance, "[[capitalism]]" is the name for the '
+            "[[Capitalist mode of production (Marxist theory)|capitalist "
+            "''mode of production'']] in which the means of production"
+        )
+
+        new_content, replacement, replaced_text = find_link_in_content(
+            "capitalist mode of production", content, "Means of production"
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            new_content,
+            'For instance, "[[capitalism]]" is the name for the '
+            "[[Capitalist mode of production (Marxist theory)|capitalist "
+            "''mode of production'']] in which the [[means of production]]",
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(replacement, "means of production")
+        self.assertEqual(replaced_text, "means of production")
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()