diff --git a/picard/ui/options/scripting.py b/picard/ui/options/scripting.py
index 370b79689..e716404b8 100644
--- a/picard/ui/options/scripting.py
+++ b/picard/ui/options/scripting.py
@@ -32,11 +32,6 @@ class TaggerScriptSyntaxHighlighter(QtGui.QSyntaxHighlighter):
         self.func_fmt = QtGui.QTextCharFormat()
         self.func_fmt.setFontWeight(QtGui.QFont.Bold)
         self.func_fmt.setForeground(QtCore.Qt.blue)
-        self.noop_re = QtCore.QRegExp(r"\$noop\([^\)]*\)?")
-        self.noop_fmt = QtGui.QTextCharFormat()
-        self.noop_fmt.setFontWeight(QtGui.QFont.Bold)
-        self.noop_fmt.setFontItalic(True)
-        self.noop_fmt.setForeground(QtCore.Qt.darkGray)
         self.var_re = QtCore.QRegExp(r"%[_a-zA-Z0-9:]*%")
         self.var_fmt = QtGui.QTextCharFormat()
         self.var_fmt.setForeground(QtCore.Qt.darkCyan)
@@ -46,15 +41,22 @@ class TaggerScriptSyntaxHighlighter(QtGui.QSyntaxHighlighter):
         self.special_re = QtCore.QRegExp(r"[^\\][(),]")
         self.special_fmt = QtGui.QTextCharFormat()
         self.special_fmt.setForeground(QtCore.Qt.blue)
+        self.bracket = QtCore.QRegExp(r"[()]")
+        self.noop_re = QtCore.QRegExp(r"\$noop\(")
+        self.noop_fmt = QtGui.QTextCharFormat()
+        self.noop_fmt.setFontWeight(QtGui.QFont.Bold)
+        self.noop_fmt.setFontItalic(True)
+        self.noop_fmt.setForeground(QtCore.Qt.darkGray)
         self.rules = [
             (self.func_re, self.func_fmt, 0, -1),
-            (self.noop_re, self.noop_fmt, 0, 0),
             (self.var_re, self.var_fmt, 0, 0),
             (self.escape_re, self.escape_fmt, 0, 0),
             (self.special_re, self.special_fmt, 1, -1),
         ]
 
     def highlightBlock(self, text):
+        self.setCurrentBlockState(0)
+
         for expr, fmt, a, b in self.rules:
             index = expr.indexIn(text)
             while index >= 0:
@@ -62,6 +64,33 @@ class TaggerScriptSyntaxHighlighter(QtGui.QSyntaxHighlighter):
                 self.setFormat(index + a, length + b, fmt)
                 index = expr.indexIn(text, index + length + b)
 
+        # Ignore everything if we're already in a noop function
+        index = self.noop_re.indexIn(text) if self.previousBlockState() <= 0 else 0
+        open_brackets = self.previousBlockState() if self.previousBlockState() > 0 else 0
+        while index >= 0:
+            next_index = self.bracket.indexIn(text, index)
+
+            # Skip escaped brackets
+            if (next_index > 0) and text[next_index - 1] == '\\':
+                next_index += 1
+
+            if (next_index > -1) and text[next_index] == '(':
+                open_brackets += 1
+            elif (next_index > -1) and text[next_index] == ')':
+                open_brackets -= 1
+
+            if (next_index > -1):
+                self.setFormat(index, next_index - index + 1, self.noop_fmt)
+            elif (next_index == -1) and (open_brackets > 0):
+                self.setFormat(index, len(text) - index, self.noop_fmt)
+
+            # Check for next noop operation, necessary for multiple noops in one line
+            if open_brackets == 0:
+                next_index = self.noop_re.indexIn(text, next_index)
+
+            index = next_index + 1 if (next_index > -1) and (next_index < len(text)) else -1
+
+        self.setCurrentBlockState(open_brackets)
 
 class ScriptingOptionsPage(OptionsPage):