diff --git a/plugins/markdown/core/src/org/intellij/plugins/markdown/lang/references/backtick/BacktickReference.kt b/plugins/markdown/core/src/org/intellij/plugins/markdown/lang/references/backtick/BacktickReference.kt
index e46c151a94c1..72341a488e5d 100644
--- a/plugins/markdown/core/src/org/intellij/plugins/markdown/lang/references/backtick/BacktickReference.kt
+++ b/plugins/markdown/core/src/org/intellij/plugins/markdown/lang/references/backtick/BacktickReference.kt
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class BacktickReference(element: MarkdownCodeSpan, range: TextRange) :
 
   override fun isReferenceTo(element: PsiElement): Boolean {
     val name = canonicalText
-    if (!shouldSearchInSymbols(name)) {
+    if (!shouldSearchInSymbols(name) || !shouldSearchInClasses(name)) {
       return super.isReferenceTo(element)
     }
 
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ class BacktickReference(element: MarkdownCodeSpan, range: TextRange) :
     if (isFile()) {
       resolveWithContributor(name, name, element.project, ChooseByNameContributorEx.FILE_EP_NAME, navigationItems)
     } else {
-      resolveWithContributor(name, name, element.project, ChooseByNameContributorEx.CLASS_EP_NAME, navigationItems)
+      if (shouldSearchInClasses(name)) {
+        resolveWithContributor(name, name, element.project, ChooseByNameContributorEx.CLASS_EP_NAME, navigationItems)
+      }
       if (shouldSearchInSymbols(name)) {
         resolveWithContributor(name, name, element.project, ChooseByNameContributorEx.SYMBOL_EP_NAME, navigationItems)
       }
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ class BacktickReference(element: MarkdownCodeSpan, range: TextRange) :
     pattern: String,
     project: Project,
     contributors: ExtensionPointName<ChooseByNameContributor>,
-    items: MutableList<NavigationItem>,
+    items: MutableList<NavigationItem>
   ) {
     if (items.size > MAX_RESOLVED_ITEMS) return
     for (contributor in DumbService.getInstance(project).filterByDumbAwareness(contributors.extensionList)) {
@@ -103,7 +105,9 @@ class BacktickReference(element: MarkdownCodeSpan, range: TextRange) :
   }
 
   private fun shouldSearchInSymbols(elementName: String): Boolean =
-    elementName.length >= Registry.intValue("markdown.backtick.reference.symbol.length") || NameUtil.nameToWordList(elementName).size > 1
+    elementName.length >= Registry.intValue("markdown.backtick.reference.symbol.length") && NameUtil.nameToWordList(elementName).size > 1
+
+  private fun shouldSearchInClasses(elementName: String): Boolean = elementName.length > 2
 
   private fun isFile(): Boolean {
     val filetype = FileTypeRegistry.getInstance().getFileTypeByFileName(canonicalText)
diff --git a/plugins/markdown/test/src/org/intellij/plugins/markdown/reference/BacktickReferenceTest.kt b/plugins/markdown/test/src/org/intellij/plugins/markdown/reference/BacktickReferenceTest.kt
index 0838d26aca84..cd941a7b42fe 100644
--- a/plugins/markdown/test/src/org/intellij/plugins/markdown/reference/BacktickReferenceTest.kt
+++ b/plugins/markdown/test/src/org/intellij/plugins/markdown/reference/BacktickReferenceTest.kt
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ class BacktickReferenceTest : BasePlatformTestCase() {
     assertTrue(myFixture.psiManager.areElementsEquivalent(javaClass, reference!!.resolve()))
   }
 
+  @Test
+  fun `test short class reference is not resolved`() {
+    createJavaClass("SS")
+    assertNull(configureAndGetReferenceAtCaret("There is an `S<caret>S` backtick")?.resolve())
+  }
+
   @Test
   fun `test reference with extension resolves to original element`() {
     val file = createFile("JavaClass.java", "class JavaClass {}")
@@ -87,11 +93,11 @@ class BacktickReferenceTest : BasePlatformTestCase() {
       "JavaClass1.java",
       """
         class JavaClass1 {
-           public void longlonglong() {}
+           public void longLongLong() {}
         }
       """.trimIndent()
     )
-    assertResolvesToPsiMethod("some1.md", "There is an `longlo<caret>nglong` backtick")
+    assertResolvesToPsiMethod("some1.md", "There is an `longLong<caret>Long` backtick")
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -100,21 +106,21 @@ class BacktickReferenceTest : BasePlatformTestCase() {
       "JavaClass.java",
       """
         class JavaClass {
-           public void sho_test() {}
+           public void boundary_test() {}
         }
       """.trimIndent()
     )
-    assertResolvesToPsiMethod("some.md", "There is an `sho<caret>_test` backtick")
+    assertResolvesToPsiMethod("some.md", "There is an `boundary<caret>_test` backtick")
 
     createFile(
       "JavaClass1.java",
       """
         class JavaClass1 {
-           public void shoTest() {}
+           public void boundaryTest() {}
         }
       """.trimIndent()
     )
-    assertResolvesToPsiMethod("some1.md", "There is an `sho<caret>Test` backtick")
+    assertResolvesToPsiMethod("some1.md", "There is an `boundary<caret>Test` backtick")
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -371,8 +377,8 @@ class BacktickReferenceTest : BasePlatformTestCase() {
     assertNull(reference?.resolve())
   }
 
-  private fun createJavaClass(): PsiClass {
-    val file = createFile("JavaClass.java", "class JavaClass {}")
+  private fun createJavaClass(name: String = "JavaClass"): PsiClass {
+    val file = createFile("$name.java", "class $name {}")
     return file.children.single { it is PsiClass } as PsiClass
   }