diff --git a/extensions/php/src/phpMain.ts b/extensions/php/src/phpMain.ts
index 1367d33d571..4dad7999bad 100644
--- a/extensions/php/src/phpMain.ts
+++ b/extensions/php/src/phpMain.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@ export function activate(context: ExtensionContext): any {
 
 	// need to set in the plugin host as well as the completion provider uses it.
 	languages.setLanguageConfiguration('php', {
-		wordPattern: /(-?\d*\.\d\w*)|([^\`\~\!\@\#\%\^\&\*\(\)\=\+\[\{\]\}\\\|\;\:\'\"\,\.\<\>\/\?\s]+)/g
+		wordPattern: /(-?\d*\.\d\w*)|([^\-\`\~\!\@\#\%\^\&\*\(\)\=\+\[\{\]\}\\\|\;\:\'\"\,\.\<\>\/\?\s]+)/g
 	});
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/vs/languages/php/common/php.ts b/src/vs/languages/php/common/php.ts
index 7b72bb23e79..4978ae0e401 100644
--- a/src/vs/languages/php/common/php.ts
+++ b/src/vs/languages/php/common/php.ts
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ export class PHPMode extends AbstractMode<AbstractModeWorker> implements support
 		return { lineCommentTokens: ['//','#'], blockCommentStartToken: '/*', blockCommentEndToken: '*/' };
 	}
 
-	private static WORD_DEFINITION = createWordRegExp('$-');
+	private static WORD_DEFINITION = createWordRegExp('$_');
 	public getWordDefinition():RegExp {
 		return PHPMode.WORD_DEFINITION;
 	}