diff --git a/src/docformatter/format.py b/src/docformatter/format.py
index 0f32942..b710023 100644
--- a/src/docformatter/format.py
+++ b/src/docformatter/format.py
@@ -320,7 +320,9 @@ def _format_code(
                     not in {tokenize.NL, tokenize.NEWLINE}
                     or modified_tokens[-2][1] != ":"
                     and modified_tokens[-2][0] != tokenize.COMMENT
-                    or modified_tokens[-2][4][:3] != "def"
+                    or not modified_tokens[-2][4]
+                    .lstrip()
+                    .startswith(("def", "class"))
                 ):
                     modified_tokens.append(
                         (token_type, token_string, start, end, line)
diff --git a/tests/test_format_code.py b/tests/test_format_code.py
index 5cd5254..8859012 100644
--- a/tests/test_format_code.py
+++ b/tests/test_format_code.py
@@ -499,6 +499,80 @@ def foo():
 '''
         )
 
+    @pytest.mark.unit
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("args", [[""]])
+    def test_format_code_with_empty_lines_class_docstring(
+        self, test_args, args
+    ):
+        """No blank lines before a class's docstring."""
+        uut = Formatter(
+            test_args,
+            sys.stderr,
+            sys.stdin,
+            sys.stdout,
+        )
+
+        assert '''\
+class Foo:
+    """Hello foo and this is a docstring.
+
+    More stuff.
+    """
+''' == uut._format_code(
+            '''\
+class Foo:
+    """
+    Hello
+    foo and this is a docstring.
+
+    More stuff.
+    """
+'''
+        )
+        assert '''\
+def foo():
+    class Foo:
+        """Summary."""
+        pass
+''' == uut._format_code(
+            '''\
+def foo():
+    class Foo:
+
+        """Summary."""
+        pass
+'''
+        )
+
+    @pytest.mark.unit
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("args", [[""]])
+    def test_format_code_with_empty_lines_method_docstring(
+        self, test_args, args
+    ):
+        """No blank lines before a method's docstring."""
+        uut = Formatter(
+            test_args,
+            sys.stderr,
+            sys.stdin,
+            sys.stdout,
+        )
+
+        assert '''\
+class Foo:
+    def foo(self):
+        """Summary."""
+        pass
+''' == uut._format_code(
+            '''\
+class Foo:
+    def foo(self):
+
+
+        """Summary."""
+        pass
+'''
+        )
+
     @pytest.mark.unit
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("args", [[""]])
     def test_format_code_with_trailing_whitespace(self, test_args, args):
@@ -860,13 +934,15 @@ class TestClass:
     ..py.method: big_method()
     """
 '''
-        assert docstring == uut._do_format_code('''\
+        assert docstring == uut._do_format_code(
+            '''\
 class TestClass:
     """This is a class docstring.
     :cvar test_int: a class attribute.
     ..py.method: big_method()
     """
-''')
+'''
+        )
 
 
 class TestFormatCodeRanges: