diff --git a/src/plugin/ollieplugin.cpp b/src/plugin/ollieplugin.cpp
index 59d5209..7cb0883 100644
--- a/src/plugin/ollieplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugin/ollieplugin.cpp
@@ -1702,7 +1702,9 @@ void OllieView::acmeEraseWord()
             break;
         }
         const QChar r = doc->characterAt(prev);
-        const bool alnum = r.isLetterOrNumber();
+        // Acme's isalnum() treats '_' as a word character (it is not in acme's
+        // punctuation set), so ^W does not stop on underscores.
+        const bool alnum = r.isLetterOrNumber() || r == QLatin1Char('_');
         if (alnum && skipping) {
             skipping = false;
         } else if (!alnum && !skipping) {