diff --git a/commit-to-output.js b/commit-to-output.js
index 3e25376..9be9fd3 100644
--- a/commit-to-output.js
+++ b/commit-to-output.js
@@ -76,10 +76,10 @@ function toStringMarkdown (data) {
   s += `* \\[[\`${data.sha.substr(0, 10)}\`](${data.shaUrl})] - `
   s += (data.semver || []).length ? `**(${data.semver.join(', ').toUpperCase()})** ` : ''
   s += data.revert ? '***Revert*** "' : ''
-  s += data.group ? `**${data.group}**: ` : ''
+  s += data.group ? `**${cleanMarkdown(data.group)}**: ` : ''
   s += cleanMarkdown(data.summary)
   s += data.revert ? '" ' : ' '
-  s += data.author ? `(${data.author}) ` : ''
+  s += data.author ? `(${cleanMarkdown(data.author)}) ` : ''
   s += data.pr ? `[${data.pr}](${data.prUrl})` : ''
   s = s.trim()
 
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index 97a12c3..fbe504c 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -115,3 +115,11 @@ test('test backtick strings in commit messages', (t) => {
 `)
   t.end()
 })
+
+test('test markdown punctuation chars in commit message and author name', (t) => {
+  t.equal(
+    exec('--start-ref=eadf9e3d32--end-ref=eadf9e3d32--filter-release --commit-url=https://yeehaw.com/{ref}/{ref}/{ghUser}/{ghRepo}/'),
+    `* \\[[\`eadf9e3d32\`](https://yeehaw.com/eadf9e3d32/eadf9e3d32/nodejs/changelog-maker/)] - **group\\_with\\_underscore**: test commit message (Author\\_name\\_with\\_underscore)
+`)
+  t.end()
+})