diff --git a/.config/kak/kakrc b/.config/kak/kakrc
index 446cbaf6..1545df7e 100644
--- a/.config/kak/kakrc
+++ b/.config/kak/kakrc
@@ -191,13 +191,17 @@ hook global BufWritePost .*/\.config/niri/.*\.kdl(##.+)? %{
 }
 
 declare-filetype-mode markdown
-define-command -params 0..1  markdown-code-block %{
-    execute-keys 'o```<esc>o```<esc><c-l>kA'
-    hook -once window InsertKey <ret> %{
-        execute-keys '<c-l>'
+define-command -docstring %{
+    markdown-code-block [<lang>]: inserts a markdown code block with
+    optional language id.
+} -params 0..1  markdown-code-block %{
+    evaluate-commands -save-regs a %{
+        set-register a %arg{1}
+        execute-keys "o```<c-r>a<ret>```<esc><a-O>k"
+        try %{ tree-sitter-buffer-update }
     }
 }
-map -docstring 'codeblock' global markdown ` ': markdown-code-block<ret>'
+map -docstring 'codeblock' global markdown ` ': markdown-code-block<space>'
 map -docstring 'bold' global markdown b ':surround-add-pair "**" "**"<ret>'
 map -docstring 'unbold' global markdown <a-b> ':surround-delete-key *<ret>:surround-delete-key *<ret>'
 map -docstring 'emph' global markdown e ':surround-add-pair "_" "_"<ret>'