diff --git a/meshchatx/src/backend/markdown_renderer.py b/meshchatx/src/backend/markdown_renderer.py
index a31ee0c..7d50e75 100644
--- a/meshchatx/src/backend/markdown_renderer.py
+++ b/meshchatx/src/backend/markdown_renderer.py
@@ -72,10 +72,10 @@ class MarkdownRenderer:
         # Bold and Italic
         text = re.sub(r"\*\*\*(.*?)\*\*\*", r"<strong><em>\1</em></strong>", text)
         text = re.sub(r"\*\*(.*?)\*\*", r"<strong>\1</strong>", text)
-        text = re.sub(r"\*(.*?)\*", r"<em>\1</em>", text)
+        text = re.sub(r"\*(?!\s)(.*?)(?<!\s)\*", r"<em>\1</em>", text)
         text = re.sub(r"___(.*?)___", r"<strong><em>\1</em></strong>", text)
         text = re.sub(r"__(.*?)__", r"<strong>\1</strong>", text)
-        text = re.sub(r"_(.*?)_", r"<em>\1</em>", text)
+        text = re.sub(r"_(?!\s)(.*?)(?<!\s)_", r"<em>\1</em>", text)
 
         # Strikethrough
         text = re.sub(r"~~(.*?)~~", r"<del>\1</del>", text)
diff --git a/tests/backend/test_property_based.py b/tests/backend/test_property_based.py
index 0511c75..d80cc3b 100644
--- a/tests/backend/test_property_based.py
+++ b/tests/backend/test_property_based.py
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 import html
 import json
 import math
+import os
+import shutil
 
 import pytest
 from hypothesis import HealthCheck, given, settings
 from hypothesis import strategies as st
 
 from meshchatx.src.backend.colour_utils import ColourUtils
+from meshchatx.src.backend.identity_manager import IdentityManager
 from meshchatx.src.backend.interface_config_parser import InterfaceConfigParser
 from meshchatx.src.backend.lxmf_utils import convert_db_lxmf_message_to_dict
 from meshchatx.src.backend.markdown_renderer import MarkdownRenderer
@@ -337,3 +340,60 @@ def test_markdown_renderer_headers(content):
         result = MarkdownRenderer.render(input_text)
         assert "<h1" in result
         assert html.escape(content) in result
+
+
+@given(data=st.binary())
+def test_identity_restore_robustness(data):
+    manager = IdentityManager("/tmp/test_identities")
+    try:
+        # Should either return a dict or raise ValueError, but not crash
+        manager.restore_identity_from_bytes(data)
+    except ValueError:
+        pass
+    except Exception as e:
+        pytest.fail(f"restore_identity_from_bytes crashed with: {e}")
+    finally:
+        if os.path.exists("/tmp/test_identities"):
+            shutil.rmtree("/tmp/test_identities")
+
+
+@given(data=st.text())
+def test_identity_restore_base32_robustness(data):
+    manager = IdentityManager("/tmp/test_identities_b32")
+    try:
+        manager.restore_identity_from_base32(data)
+    except ValueError:
+        pass
+    except Exception as e:
+        pytest.fail(f"restore_identity_from_base32 crashed with: {e}")
+    finally:
+        if os.path.exists("/tmp/test_identities_b32"):
+            shutil.rmtree("/tmp/test_identities_b32")
+
+
+@given(
+    st.lists(
+        st.text(min_size=1).filter(
+            lambda x: "\n" not in x and x.strip() and x.isalnum()
+        )
+    )
+)
+def test_markdown_renderer_list_rendering(items):
+    if not items:
+        return
+    markdown = "\n".join([f"* {item}" for item in items])
+    html_output = MarkdownRenderer.render(markdown)
+    assert "<ul" in html_output
+    for item in items:
+        assert item in html_output
+
+
+@given(
+    st.text(min_size=1).filter(lambda x: x.isalnum()),
+    st.text(min_size=1).filter(lambda x: x.isalnum()),
+)
+def test_markdown_renderer_link_rendering(label, url):
+    markdown = f"[{label}]({url})"
+    html_output = MarkdownRenderer.render(markdown)
+    assert "<a href=" in html_output
+    assert label in html_output