diff --git a/change_log.txt b/change_log.txt
index 42a4648f..760e4f8a 100644
--- a/change_log.txt
+++ b/change_log.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  19.05.2015
   - bugfix compiler did overwrite existing variable value when setting the nocache attribute https://github.com/smarty-php/smarty/issues/39
   - bugfix output filter trimwhitespace could run into the pcre.backtrack_limit on large output (code.google issue 220)
+  - bugfix compiler could run into the pcre.backtrack_limit on larger comment or {php} tag sections (forum 25538)
 
  18.05.2015
   - improvement introduce shortcuts in lexer/parser rules for most frequent terms for higher
diff --git a/lexer/smarty_internal_templatelexer.plex b/lexer/smarty_internal_templatelexer.plex
index 10c274ef..c6e3d0a9 100644
--- a/lexer/smarty_internal_templatelexer.plex
+++ b/lexer/smarty_internal_templatelexer.plex
@@ -235,12 +235,12 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
      namespace = /([0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\w*)?(\\[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\w*)+/
      all = /[\S\s]+/
      emptyjava = /\{\}/
-     xmltag = /<\?xml\s+([\S\s]*?)\?>/
-     php = /(<\?(?:php\s+|=)?)((('[^'\\]*(?:\\.[^'\\]*)*')|("[^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*")|(\/\*[\S\s]*?\*\/)|[\S\s])*?)\?>/
-     phpscript = /<script\s+language\s*=\s*[\"\']?\s*php\s*[\"\']?\s*>((('[^'\\]*(?:\\.[^'\\]*)*')|("[^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*")|(\/\*[\S\s]*?\*\/)|[\S\s])*?)<\/script>/
-     phptag = /(SMARTYldel\s*php\s*(.)*?SMARTYrdel([\S\s]*?)SMARTYldel\s*\/php\s*SMARTYrdel)|(SMARTYldel\s*[\/]?php\s*(.)*?SMARTYrdel)/
-     asp = /<%((('[^'\\]*(?:\\.[^'\\]*)*')|("[^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*")|(\/\*[\S\s]*?\*\/)|[\S\s])*?)%>/
-     unmatched = /(<(\?(?:php\s+|=)?|(script\s+language\s*=\s*[\"\']?\s*php\s*[\"\']?\s*>)|%))|\?>|%>/
+     xmltag = /<[?]xml\s+([\S\s]*?)[?]>/
+     php = #<[?](?:php(?=[\s=]))?((?:(?![?]>)[^/][^?'"/]*)(([/][*](?:(?![*][/])[\S\s][^*]*)*[*][/])|([/][/][^\n]*)|('[^'\\]*(?:\\.[^'\\]*)*')|("[^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*"))*)*[?]>#
+     asp = #<[%]((?:(?![%]>)[^/][^%'"/]*)(([/][*](?:(?![*][/])[\S\s][^*]*)*[*][/])|([/][/][^\n]*)|('[^'\\]*(?:\\.[^'\\]*)*')|("[^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*"))*)*[%]>#
+     phpscript = #<script\s+language\s*=\s*["']?\s*php\s*["']?\s*>((?:(?!</script>)[^/][^<'"/]*)(([/][*](?:(?![*][/])[\S\s][^*]*)*[*][/])|([/][/][^\n]*)|('[^'\\]*(?:\\.[^'\\]*)*')|("[^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*"))*)*</script>#
+     phptag = #((SMARTYldel\s*php\s*(.)*?SMARTYrdel)((?:(?!(SMARTYldel\s*[/]php\s*SMARTYrdel))[^/\{][^SMARTYldelFIRST'"/]*)(([/][*](?:(?![*][/])[\S\s][^*]*)*[*][/])|([/][/][^\n]*)|('[^'\\]*(?:\\.[^'\\]*)*')|("[^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*"))*)*(SMARTYldel\s*[/]php\s*SMARTYrdel)?)|(SMARTYldel\s*[/]?php\s*SMARTYrdel)#
+     unmatched = /((<[?](?:php\s+|=)?)|(<script\s+language\s*=\s*[\"\']?\s*php\s*[\"\']?\s*[>])|<[%]|[?][>]|[%][>])/
      slash = /\//
      ldel = /SMARTYldel\s*/
      rdel = /\s*SMARTYrdel/
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
      integer = /\d+/
      hex =  /0[xX][0-9a-fA-F]+/
      math = /\s*([*]{1,2}|[%\/^&]|[<>]{2})\s*/
-     comment = /SMARTYldel\*([\S\s]*?)\*SMARTYrdel/
+     comment = /SMARTYldel[*]((?:(?![*]SMARTYrdel)[\S\s][^*]*))*[*]SMARTYrdel/
      incdec = /\+\+|\-\-/
      unimath = /\s*(\+|\-)\s*/
      openP = /\s*\(\s*/
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
      singlequotestring = /'[^'\\]*(?:\\.[^'\\]*)*'/
      backtick = /`/
      vert = /\|/
-     qmark = /\s*\?\s*/
+     qmark = /\s*[?]\s*/
      constant = /([_]+[A-Z0-9][0-9A-Z_]*|[A-Z][0-9A-Z_]*)(?![0-9A-Z_]*[a-z])/
      attr = /\s+[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_\-:]*\s*=\s*/
      id = /[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\w*/
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
      }
      text {
        $to = strlen($this->data);
-       preg_match("/{$this->ldel}|<\?|<%|\?>|%>|<script\s+language\s*=\s*[\"\']?\s*php\s*[\"\']?\s*>/",$this->data,$match,PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE,$this->counter);
+       preg_match("/{$this->ldel}|<[?]|<%|[?]>|%>|<script\s+language\s*=\s*[\"\']?\s*php\s*[\"\']?\s*>/",$this->data,$match,PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE,$this->counter);
        if (isset($match[0][1])) {
          $to = $match[0][1];
        }
diff --git a/libs/Smarty.class.php b/libs/Smarty.class.php
index 9c4a0314..265044f2 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty.class.php
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class Smarty extends Smarty_Internal_TemplateBase
     /**
      * smarty version
      */
-    const SMARTY_VERSION = '3.1.24-dev/7';
+    const SMARTY_VERSION = '3.1.24-dev/8';
 
     /**
      * define variable scopes
diff --git a/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_templatelexer.php b/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_templatelexer.php
index 6bbc6feb..904461ed 100644
--- a/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_templatelexer.php
+++ b/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_templatelexer.php
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
     public function yylex1()
     {
         if (!isset($this->yy_global_pattern1)) {
-            $this->yy_global_pattern1 = "/\G(\\{\\})|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\*([\S\s]*?)\\*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*literal\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*)|\G(\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(<\\?xml\\s+([\S\s]*?)\\?>)|\G(<%((('[^'\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^'\\\\]*)*')|(\"[^\"\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^\"\\\\]*)*\")|(\/\\*[\S\s]*?\\*\/)|[\S\s])*?)%>)|\G((<\\?(?:php\\s+|=)?)((('[^'\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^'\\\\]*)*')|(\"[^\"\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^\"\\\\]*)*\")|(\/\\*[\S\s]*?\\*\/)|[\S\s])*?)\\?>)|\G(<script\\s+language\\s*=\\s*[\"']?\\s*php\\s*[\"']?\\s*>((('[^'\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^'\\\\]*)*')|(\"[^\"\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^\"\\\\]*)*\")|(\/\\*[\S\s]*?\\*\/)|[\S\s])*?)<\/script>)|\G((<(\\?(?:php\\s+|=)?|(script\\s+language\\s*=\\s*[\"']?\\s*php\\s*[\"']?\\s*>)|%))|\\?>|%>)|\G([\S\s])/iS";
+            $this->yy_global_pattern1 = "/\G(\\{\\})|\G(" . $this->ldel . "[*]((?:(?![*]" . $this->rdel . ")[\S\s][^*]*))*[*]" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*literal\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*)|\G(\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(<[?]xml\\s+([\S\s]*?)[?]>)|\G(<[%]((?:(?![%]>)[^\/][^%'\"\/]*)(([\/][*](?:(?![*][\/])[\S\s][^*]*)*[*][\/])|([\/][\/][^\n]*)|('[^'\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^'\\\\]*)*')|(\"[^\"\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^\"\\\\]*)*\"))*)*[%]>)|\G(<[?](?:php(?=[\s=]))?((?:(?![?]>)[^\/][^?'\"\/]*)(([\/][*](?:(?![*][\/])[\S\s][^*]*)*[*][\/])|([\/][\/][^\n]*)|('[^'\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^'\\\\]*)*')|(\"[^\"\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^\"\\\\]*)*\"))*)*[?]>)|\G(<script\\s+language\\s*=\\s*[\"']?\\s*php\\s*[\"']?\\s*>((?:(?!<\/script>)[^\/][^<'\"\/]*)(([\/][*](?:(?![*][\/])[\S\s][^*]*)*[*][\/])|([\/][\/][^\n]*)|('[^'\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^'\\\\]*)*')|(\"[^\"\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^\"\\\\]*)*\"))*)*<\/script>)|\G(((<[?](?:php\\s+|=)?)|(<script\\s+language\\s*=\\s*[\"']?\\s*php\\s*[\"']?\\s*[>])|<[%]|[?][>]|[%][>]))|\G([\S\s])/iS";
         }
         if ($this->counter >= strlen($this->data)) {
             return false; // end of input
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
         $this->token = Smarty_Internal_Templateparser::TP_PHP;
     }
 
-    function yy_r1_15()
+    function yy_r1_16()
     {
 
         $this->phpType = 'php';
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
         $this->token = Smarty_Internal_Templateparser::TP_PHP;
     }
 
-    function yy_r1_22()
+    function yy_r1_23()
     {
 
         $this->phpType = 'script';
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
         $this->token = Smarty_Internal_Templateparser::TP_PHP;
     }
 
-    function yy_r1_28()
+    function yy_r1_30()
     {
 
         $this->phpType = 'unmatched';
@@ -378,11 +378,11 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
         $this->token = Smarty_Internal_Templateparser::TP_PHP;
     }
 
-    function yy_r1_32()
+    function yy_r1_34()
     {
 
         $to = strlen($this->data);
-        preg_match("/{$this->ldel}|<\?|<%|\?>|%>|<script\s+language\s*=\s*[\"\']?\s*php\s*[\"\']?\s*>/", $this->data, $match, PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE, $this->counter);
+        preg_match("/{$this->ldel}|<[?]|<%|[?]>|%>|<script\s+language\s*=\s*[\"\']?\s*php\s*[\"\']?\s*>/", $this->data, $match, PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE, $this->counter);
         if (isset($match[0][1])) {
             $to = $match[0][1];
         }
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
     public function yylex2()
     {
         if (!isset($this->yy_global_pattern2)) {
-            $this->yy_global_pattern2 = "/\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*(if|elseif|else if|while)\\s+)|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*for\\s+)|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*foreach(?![^\s]))|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*setfilter\\s+)|\G((" . $this->ldel . "\\s*php\\s*(.)*?" . $this->rdel . "([\S\s]*?)" . $this->ldel . "\\s*\/php\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*[\/]?php\\s*(.)*?" . $this->rdel . "))|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*(\\s+nocache)?\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*\/(?:(?!block)[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*)\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*\\$[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*(\\s+nocache)?\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*\/)|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*)/iS";
+            $this->yy_global_pattern2 = "/\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*(if|elseif|else if|while)\\s+)|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*for\\s+)|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*foreach(?![^\s]))|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*setfilter\\s+)|\G(((" . $this->ldel . "\\s*php\\s*(.)*?" . $this->rdel . ")((?:(?!(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*[\/]php\\s*" . $this->rdel . "))[^\/{][^" . preg_quote($this->smarty->left_delimiter[0]) . "'\"\/]*)(([\/][*](?:(?![*][\/])[\S\s][^*]*)*[*][\/])|([\/][\/][^\n]*)|('[^'\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^'\\\\]*)*')|(\"[^\"\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^\"\\\\]*)*\"))*)*(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*[\/]php\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")?)|(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*[\/]?php\\s*" . $this->rdel . "))|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*(\\s+nocache)?\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*\/(?:(?!block)[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*)\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*\\$[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*(\\s+nocache)?\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*\/)|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*)/iS";
         }
         if ($this->counter >= strlen($this->data)) {
             return false; // end of input
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
         $this->taglineno = $this->line;
     }
 
-    function yy_r2_12()
+    function yy_r2_19()
     {
 
         $this->yypopstate();
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
         $this->taglineno = $this->line;
     }
 
-    function yy_r2_14()
+    function yy_r2_21()
     {
 
         $this->yypopstate();
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
         $this->taglineno = $this->line;
     }
 
-    function yy_r2_15()
+    function yy_r2_22()
     {
 
         $this->yypopstate();
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
         $this->taglineno = $this->line;
     }
 
-    function yy_r2_17()
+    function yy_r2_24()
     {
 
         $this->token = Smarty_Internal_Templateparser::TP_LDELSLASH;
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
         $this->taglineno = $this->line;
     }
 
-    function yy_r2_18()
+    function yy_r2_25()
     {
 
         $this->token = Smarty_Internal_Templateparser::TP_LDEL;
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Templatelexer
     public function yylex3()
     {
         if (!isset($this->yy_global_pattern3)) {
-            $this->yy_global_pattern3 = "/\G(\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(\")|\G('[^'\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^'\\\\]*)*')|\G([$]smarty\\.block\\.(child|parent))|\G(\\$[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*)|\G(\\$)|\G(\\s+is\\s+in\\s+)|\G(\\s+as\\s+)|\G(\\s+to\\s+)|\G(\\s+step\\s+)|\G(\\s+instanceof\\s+)|\G(\\s*(([!=][=]{1,2})|([<][=>]?)|([>][=]?)|[&|]{2})\\s*)|\G(\\s+(eq|ne|neg|gt|ge|gte|lt|le|lte|mod|and|or|xor|(is\\s+(not\\s+)?(odd|even|div)\\s+by))\\s+)|\G(\\s+is\\s+(not\\s+)?(odd|even))|\G(!\\s*|not\\s+)|\G(\\((int(eger)?|bool(ean)?|float|double|real|string|binary|array|object)\\)\\s*)|\G(\\s*\\(\\s*)|\G(\\s*\\))|\G(\\[\\s*)|\G(\\s*\\])|\G(\\s*->\\s*)|\G(\\s*=>\\s*)|\G(\\s*=\\s*)|\G(\\+\\+|--)|\G(\\s*(\\+|-)\\s*)|\G(\\s*([*]{1,2}|[%\/^&]|[<>]{2})\\s*)|\G(@)|\G(#)|\G(\\s+[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_\-:]*\\s*=\\s*)|\G(([0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*)?(\\\\[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*)+)|\G([0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*)|\G(\\d+)|\G(`)|\G(\\|)|\G(\\.)|\G(\\s*,\\s*)|\G(\\s*;\\s*)|\G(::)|\G(\\s*:\\s*)|\G(\\s*\\?\\s*)|\G(0[xX][0-9a-fA-F]+)|\G(\\s+)|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*)|\G([\S\s])/iS";
+            $this->yy_global_pattern3 = "/\G(\\s*" . $this->rdel . ")|\G(\")|\G('[^'\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^'\\\\]*)*')|\G([$]smarty\\.block\\.(child|parent))|\G(\\$[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*)|\G(\\$)|\G(\\s+is\\s+in\\s+)|\G(\\s+as\\s+)|\G(\\s+to\\s+)|\G(\\s+step\\s+)|\G(\\s+instanceof\\s+)|\G(\\s*(([!=][=]{1,2})|([<][=>]?)|([>][=]?)|[&|]{2})\\s*)|\G(\\s+(eq|ne|neg|gt|ge|gte|lt|le|lte|mod|and|or|xor|(is\\s+(not\\s+)?(odd|even|div)\\s+by))\\s+)|\G(\\s+is\\s+(not\\s+)?(odd|even))|\G(!\\s*|not\\s+)|\G(\\((int(eger)?|bool(ean)?|float|double|real|string|binary|array|object)\\)\\s*)|\G(\\s*\\(\\s*)|\G(\\s*\\))|\G(\\[\\s*)|\G(\\s*\\])|\G(\\s*->\\s*)|\G(\\s*=>\\s*)|\G(\\s*=\\s*)|\G(\\+\\+|--)|\G(\\s*(\\+|-)\\s*)|\G(\\s*([*]{1,2}|[%\/^&]|[<>]{2})\\s*)|\G(@)|\G(#)|\G(\\s+[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_\-:]*\\s*=\\s*)|\G(([0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*)?(\\\\[0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*)+)|\G([0-9]*[a-zA-Z_]\\w*)|\G(\\d+)|\G(`)|\G(\\|)|\G(\\.)|\G(\\s*,\\s*)|\G(\\s*;\\s*)|\G(::)|\G(\\s*:\\s*)|\G(\\s*[?]\\s*)|\G(0[xX][0-9a-fA-F]+)|\G(\\s+)|\G(" . $this->ldel . "\\s*)|\G([\S\s])/iS";
         }
         if ($this->counter >= strlen($this->data)) {
             return false; // end of input