diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/whitespace.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/whitespace.vim
index e39265b3..cb917783 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/whitespace.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/whitespace.vim
@@ -50,7 +50,12 @@ endfunction
 function! s:conflict_marker()
   " Checks for git conflict markers
   let annotation = '\%([0-9A-Za-z_.:]\+\)\?'
-  let pattern = '^\%(\%(<\{7} '.annotation. '\)\|\%(=\{7\}\)\|\%(>\{7\} '.annotation.'\)\)$'
+  if &ft is# 'rst'
+    " rst filetypes use '=======' as header
+    let pattern = '^\%(\%(<\{7} '.annotation. '\)\|\%(>\{7\} '.annotation.'\)\)$'
+  else
+    let pattern = '^\%(\%(<\{7} '.annotation. '\)\|\%(=\{7\}\)\|\%(>\{7\} '.annotation.'\)\)$'
+  endif
   return search(pattern, 'nw')
 endfunction