diff --git a/lib/rules_inline/emphasis.js b/lib/rules_inline/emphasis.js
index 31bfbdd..4447ce7 100644
--- a/lib/rules_inline/emphasis.js
+++ b/lib/rules_inline/emphasis.js
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ module.exports.postProcess = function emphasis(state) {
       delimiters = state.delimiters,
       max = state.delimiters.length;
 
-  for (i = 0; i < max; i++) {
+  for (i = max - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
     startDelim = delimiters[i];
 
     if (startDelim.marker !== 0x5F/* _ */ && startDelim.marker !== 0x2A/* * */) {
@@ -96,11 +96,11 @@ module.exports.postProcess = function emphasis(state) {
     //
     // `<em><em>whatever</em></em>` -> `<strong>whatever</strong>`
     //
-    isStrong = i + 1 < max &&
-               delimiters[i + 1].end === startDelim.end - 1 &&
-               delimiters[i + 1].token === startDelim.token + 1 &&
-               delimiters[startDelim.end - 1].token === endDelim.token - 1 &&
-               delimiters[i + 1].marker === startDelim.marker;
+    isStrong = i - 1 >= 0 &&
+               delimiters[i - 1].end === startDelim.end + 1 &&
+               delimiters[i - 1].token === startDelim.token - 1 &&
+               delimiters[startDelim.end + 1].token === endDelim.token + 1 &&
+               delimiters[i - 1].marker === startDelim.marker;
 
     ch = String.fromCharCode(startDelim.marker);
 
@@ -119,9 +119,9 @@ module.exports.postProcess = function emphasis(state) {
     token.content = '';
 
     if (isStrong) {
-      state.tokens[delimiters[i + 1].token].content = '';
-      state.tokens[delimiters[startDelim.end - 1].token].content = '';
-      i++;
+      state.tokens[delimiters[i - 1].token].content = '';
+      state.tokens[delimiters[startDelim.end + 1].token].content = '';
+      i--;
     }
   }
 };