diff --git a/src/Text/Parsing/Parser/Language.purs b/src/Text/Parsing/Parser/Language.purs
index c1f5e25..c6d71e2 100644
--- a/src/Text/Parsing/Parser/Language.purs
+++ b/src/Text/Parsing/Parser/Language.purs
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ javaStyle   = LanguageDef (unGenLanguageDef emptyDef)
                 , commentEnd      = "*/"
                 , commentLine     = "//"
                 , nestedComments  = true
-                , identStart      = letter
-                , identLetter     = alphaNum <|> oneOf ['_', '\'']
+                , identStart      = letter <|> oneOf ['_', '$']
+                , identLetter     = alphaNum <|> oneOf ['_', '$']
                 , reservedNames   = []
                 , reservedOpNames = []
                 , caseSensitive   = false
diff --git a/test/Main.purs b/test/Main.purs
index 8bd3742..7e41902 100644
--- a/test/Main.purs
+++ b/test/Main.purs
@@ -406,6 +406,9 @@ javaStyleTest = do
     -- make sure java-style comments work
     parseTest "hello /* comment\n */ fo_" "fo_" $ javaTokParser.identifier *> javaTokParser.identifier
 
+    -- make sure java-style identifier work
+    parseTest "$hello /* comment\n */ _f$o_" "_f$o_" $ javaTokParser.identifier *> javaTokParser.identifier
+
     -- make sure haskell-style comments do not work
     parseErrorTestPosition
         (javaTokParser.identifier *> javaTokParser.identifier)