diff --git a/lib/emacs-cursor.coffee b/lib/emacs-cursor.coffee
index 0e44c25..564f6f4 100644
--- a/lib/emacs-cursor.coffee
+++ b/lib/emacs-cursor.coffee
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ class EmacsCursor
             hit.stop()
       result or point
     else
-      @_locateForwardFrom(point, /\W/i)?.start or eob
+      @_locateForwardFrom(point, /[\W\n]/i)?.start or eob
 
   _sexpBackwardFrom: (point) ->
     point = @_locateBackwardFrom(point, /[\w()[\]{}'"]/i)?.end or BOB
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ class EmacsCursor
             hit.stop()
       result or point
     else
-      @_locateBackwardFrom(point, /\W/i)?.end or BOB
+      @_locateBackwardFrom(point, /\W\n/i)?.end or BOB
 
   _locateBackwardFrom: (point, regExp) ->
     result = null
diff --git a/spec/atomic-emacs-spec.coffee b/spec/atomic-emacs-spec.coffee
index bafab36..7d4d4cd 100644
--- a/spec/atomic-emacs-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atomic-emacs-spec.coffee
@@ -122,9 +122,9 @@ describe "AtomicEmacs", ->
 
   describe "atomic-emacs:backward-sexp", ->
     it "moves all cursors backward one symbolic expression", ->
-      @testEditor.setState("aa [0]\n(bb cc)[1]\n")
+      @testEditor.setState("(aa bb)\naa [0]\n(bb cc)[1]\n")
       atom.commands.dispatch @editorView, 'atomic-emacs:backward-sexp'
-      expect(@testEditor.getState()).toEqual("[0]aa \n[1](bb cc)\n")
+      expect(@testEditor.getState()).toEqual("(aa bb)\n[0]aa \n[1](bb cc)\n")
 
     it "merges cursors that coincide", ->
       @testEditor.setState("aa[0] [1]")
@@ -133,9 +133,9 @@ describe "AtomicEmacs", ->
 
   describe "atomic-emacs:forward-sexp", ->
     it "moves all cursors forward one symbolic expression", ->
-      @testEditor.setState("[0]  aa\n[1](bb cc)\n")
+      @testEditor.setState("[0]aa\n[1](bb cc)\n")
       atom.commands.dispatch @editorView, 'atomic-emacs:forward-sexp'
-      expect(@testEditor.getState()).toEqual("  aa[0]\n(bb cc)[1]\n")
+      expect(@testEditor.getState()).toEqual("aa[0]\n(bb cc)[1]\n")
 
     it "merges cursors that coincide", ->
       @testEditor.setState("[0] [1]aa")