diff --git a/lib/marked.js b/lib/marked.js
index 86286794e5..d07c39618f 100644
--- a/lib/marked.js
+++ b/lib/marked.js
@@ -634,7 +634,10 @@ inline.gfm.url = edit(inline.gfm.url, 'i')
 
 inline.breaks = merge({}, inline.gfm, {
   br: edit(inline.br).replace('{2,}', '*').getRegex(),
-  text: edit(inline.gfm.text).replace(/\{2,\}/g, '*').getRegex()
+  text: edit(inline.gfm.text)
+    .replace('\\b_', '\\b_| {2,}\\n')
+    .replace(/\{2,\}/g, '*')
+    .getRegex()
 });
 
 /**