diff --git a/mode/octave/octave.js b/mode/octave/octave.js
index 4040b67033..33a03368fa 100644
--- a/mode/octave/octave.js
+++ b/mode/octave/octave.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ CodeMirror.defineMode("octave", function() {
   }
 
   var singleOperators = new RegExp("^[\\+\\-\\*/&|\\^~<>!@'\\\\]");
-  var singleDelimiters = new RegExp('^[\\(\\[\\{\\},:=;]');
+  var singleDelimiters = new RegExp('^[\\(\\[\\{\\},:=;\\.]');
   var doubleOperators = new RegExp("^((==)|(~=)|(<=)|(>=)|(<<)|(>>)|(\\.[\\+\\-\\*/\\^\\\\]))");
   var doubleDelimiters = new RegExp("^((!=)|(\\+=)|(\\-=)|(\\*=)|(/=)|(&=)|(\\|=)|(\\^=))");
   var tripleDelimiters = new RegExp("^((>>=)|(<<=))");