diff --git a/html2text.py b/html2text.py
index b13615b5..e9bf9010 100755
--- a/html2text.py
+++ b/html2text.py
@@ -440,8 +440,21 @@ def handle_tag(self, tag, attrs, start):
self.blockquote -= 1
self.p()
- if tag in ['em', 'i', 'u'] and not self.ignore_emphasis: self.o(self.emphasis_mark)
- if tag in ['strong', 'b'] and not self.ignore_emphasis: self.o(self.strong_mark)
+ if tag in ['em', 'i', 'u'] and not self.ignore_emphasis:
+ if not self.pre:
+ self.o(self.emphasis_mark)
+ elif start:
+ self.o("<"+tag+">")
+ else:
+ self.o("")
+ if tag in ['strong', 'b'] and not self.ignore_emphasis:
+ if not self.pre:
+ self.o(self.strong_mark)
+ elif start:
+ self.o("<"+tag+">")
+ else:
+ self.o("")
+
if tag in ['del', 'strike', 's']:
if start:
self.o("<"+tag+">")
diff --git a/test/code_blocks.html b/test/code_blocks.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eac54efa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/code_blocks.html
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+
+
+
+This is a bold statement.
+
+This is a foreign word.
+
+
+
diff --git a/test/code_blocks.md b/test/code_blocks.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4bc252a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/code_blocks.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+
+ This is a bold statement.
+
+ This is a foreign word.
+
+