diff --git a/__tests__/unit/actions/lib/searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotation.test.js b/__tests__/unit/actions/lib/searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotation.test.js
index 227140a8..0824c233 100644
--- a/__tests__/unit/actions/lib/searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotation.test.js
+++ b/__tests__/unit/actions/lib/searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotation.test.js
@@ -36,4 +36,22 @@ describe('searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotations', () => {
     }
     expect(searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotations('this is @author', payload)).toBe('this is creator')
   })
+
+  test('@@author is replaced by @payload.user.login', () => {
+    const payload = {
+      user: {
+        login: 'creator'
+      }
+    }
+    expect(searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotations('this is @@author', payload)).toBe('this is @creator')
+  })
+
+  test('replaces annotation anywhere in the text', () => {
+    const payload = {
+      user: {
+        login: 'creator'
+      }
+    }
+    expect(searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotations('this is something@author speaking', payload)).toBe('this is somethingcreator speaking')
+  })
 })
diff --git a/lib/actions/lib/searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotation.js b/lib/actions/lib/searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotation.js
index 45dbce00..b3edb823 100644
--- a/lib/actions/lib/searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotation.js
+++ b/lib/actions/lib/searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotation.js
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ const searchAndReplaceSpecialAnnotations = (template, payload) => {
   let newTemplate = template
 
   for (const annotation of Object.keys(SPECIAL_ANNOTATION)) {
-    const specialAnnotationRegex = new RegExp(`([^\\\\])${annotation}`)
+    const specialAnnotationRegex = new RegExp(`(?<!\\\\)${annotation}`)
     const annotationAtStartRegex = new RegExp(`^${annotation}`)
     const escapeAnnotationRegex = new RegExp(`(\\\\){1}${annotation}`)
 
-    newTemplate = newTemplate.replace(specialAnnotationRegex, ` ${SPECIAL_ANNOTATION[annotation](payload)}`)
+    newTemplate = newTemplate.replace(specialAnnotationRegex, `${SPECIAL_ANNOTATION[annotation](payload)}`)
     newTemplate = newTemplate.replace(escapeAnnotationRegex, annotation)
     newTemplate = newTemplate.replace(annotationAtStartRegex, SPECIAL_ANNOTATION[annotation](payload))
   }