diff --git a/src/hb-ot-shape-complex-indic-machine.rl b/src/hb-ot-shape-complex-indic-machine.rl
index 7fe9a6841..4501773eb 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-shape-complex-indic-machine.rl
+++ b/src/hb-ot-shape-complex-indic-machine.rl
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ h = H | Coeng;			# is_halant_or_coeng
 reph = (Ra H | Repha);		# possible reph
 
 cn = c.n?;
-matra_group = z*.M.N?.H?;
+forced_rakar = ZWJ H ZWJ Ra;
+matra_group = z*.M.N?.(H | forced_rakar)?;
 syllable_tail = SM? (Coeng (cn|V))? (VD VD?)?;
 place_holder = NBSP | DOTTEDCIRCLE;
 halant_group = (z?.h.z?);
diff --git a/test/shaping/texts/in-tree/shaper-indic/indic/script-sinhala/misc/misc.txt b/test/shaping/texts/in-tree/shaper-indic/indic/script-sinhala/misc/misc.txt
index a8491bf1c..40b5dc57f 100644
--- a/test/shaping/texts/in-tree/shaper-indic/indic/script-sinhala/misc/misc.txt
+++ b/test/shaping/texts/in-tree/shaper-indic/indic/script-sinhala/misc/misc.txt
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@
 කෝ
 කෝ
 ස්ට්‍රේ
+ක‍්‍රම
+ශී‍්‍ර