diff --git a/lib/textile/parser.ex b/lib/textile/parser.ex
index 67c59b86..22c5457c 100644
--- a/lib/textile/parser.ex
+++ b/lib/textile/parser.ex
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ defmodule Textile.Parser do
 
   def parse(%Parser{} = parser, input) do
     with {:ok, tokens, _1, _2, _3, _4} <- Lexer.lex(input),
-         tokens <- TokenCoalescer.coalesce(tokens),
-         {:ok, tree, []} <- textile_top(parser, tokens)
+         tokens <- TokenCoalescer.coalesce_lex(tokens),
+         {:ok, tree, []} <- textile_top(parser, tokens),
+         tree <- TokenCoalescer.coalesce_parse(tree)
     do
       tree
     else
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ defmodule Textile.Parser do
          false <- tree == [],
          {:ok, next_tree, r2_tokens} <- textile_top(parser, r_tokens)
     do
-      {:ok, tree ++ next_tree, r2_tokens}
+      {:ok, [tree, next_tree], r2_tokens}
     else
       _ ->
         [{_token, string} | r_tokens] = tokens
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ defmodule Textile.Parser do
   defp well_formed_including_paragraphs(_parser, []), do: {:ok, [], []}
   defp well_formed_including_paragraphs(parser, [{:double_newline, _nl} | r_tokens]) do
     with {:ok, tree, r2_tokens} <- well_formed_including_paragraphs(parser, r_tokens) do
-      {:ok, [markup: "<br/><br/>"] ++ tree, r2_tokens}
+      {:ok, [{:markup, "<br/><br/>"}, tree], r2_tokens}
     else
       _ ->
         {:ok, [], r_tokens}
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ defmodule Textile.Parser do
     with {:ok, tree, r_tokens} <- markup(parser, tokens),
          {:ok, next_tree, r2_tokens} <- well_formed_including_paragraphs(parser, r_tokens)
     do
-      {:ok, tree ++ next_tree, r2_tokens}
+      {:ok, [tree, next_tree], r2_tokens}
     else
       _ ->
         {:ok, [], tokens}
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ defmodule Textile.Parser do
     case markup(parser, tokens) do
       {:ok, tree, r_tokens} ->
         {:ok, next_tree, r2_tokens} = well_formed(parser, r_tokens)
-        {:ok, tree ++ next_tree, r2_tokens}
+        {:ok, [tree, next_tree], r2_tokens}
 
       _ ->
         {:ok, [], tokens}
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ defmodule Textile.Parser do
   #
   defp blockquote(parser, [{:blockquote_open_cite, author} | r_tokens]) do
     with {:ok, tree, [{:blockquote_close, _close} | r2_tokens]} <- well_formed_including_paragraphs(parser, r_tokens) do
-      {:ok, [markup: ~s|<blockquote author="#{escape_html(author)}">|] ++ tree ++ [markup: ~s|</blockquote>|], r2_tokens}
+      {:ok, [{:markup, ~s|<blockquote author="#{escape_html(author)}">|}, tree, {:markup, ~s|</blockquote>|}], r2_tokens}
     else
       _ ->
         {:ok, [text: escape_nl2br(~s|[bq="#{author}"]|)], r_tokens}
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ defmodule Textile.Parser do
 
   defp blockquote(parser, [{:blockquote_open, open} | r_tokens]) do
     with {:ok, tree, [{:blockquote_close, _close} | r2_tokens]} <- well_formed_including_paragraphs(parser, r_tokens) do
-      {:ok, [markup: ~s|<blockquote>|] ++ tree ++ [markup: ~s|</blockquote>|], r2_tokens}
+      {:ok, [{:markup, ~s|<blockquote>|}, tree, {:markup, ~s|</blockquote>|}], r2_tokens}
     else
       _ ->
         {:ok, [text: escape_nl2br(open)], r_tokens}
@@ -150,7 +151,7 @@ defmodule Textile.Parser do
   #
   defp spoiler(parser, [{:spoiler_open, open} | r_tokens]) do
     with {:ok, tree, [{:spoiler_close, _close} | r2_tokens]} <- well_formed_including_paragraphs(parser, r_tokens) do
-      {:ok, [markup: ~s|<span class="spoiler">|] ++ tree ++ [markup: ~s|</span>|], r2_tokens}
+      {:ok, [{:markup, ~s|<span class="spoiler">|}, tree, {:markup, ~s|</span>|}], r2_tokens}
     else
       _ ->
         {:ok, [text: escape_nl2br(open)], r_tokens}
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ defmodule Textile.Parser do
   #
   defp link(parser, [{:link_start, start} | r_tokens]) do
     with {:ok, tree, [{:link_end, _end}, {:link_url, url} | r2_tokens]} <- well_formed_including_paragraphs(parser, r_tokens) do
-      {:ok, [markup: ~s|<a href="#{escape_html(url)}">|] ++ tree ++ [markup: ~s|</a>|], r2_tokens}
+      {:ok, [{:markup, ~s|<a href="#{escape_html(url)}">|}, tree, {:markup, ~s|</a>|}], r2_tokens}
     else
       _ ->
         {:ok, [text: escape_nl2br(start)], r_tokens}
diff --git a/lib/textile/parser_helpers.ex b/lib/textile/parser_helpers.ex
index 634b049f..39404cf5 100644
--- a/lib/textile/parser_helpers.ex
+++ b/lib/textile/parser_helpers.ex
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ defmodule Textile.ParserHelpers do
     quote do
       defp unquote(name)(parser, [{unquote(open_token), open} | r_tokens]) do
         with {:ok, tree, [{unquote(close_token), _close} | r2_tokens]} <- well_formed(parser, r_tokens) do
-          {:ok, [markup: unquote(open_tag)] ++ tree ++ [markup: unquote(close_tag)], r2_tokens}
+          {:ok, [{:markup, unquote(open_tag)}, tree, {:markup, unquote(close_tag)}], r2_tokens}
         else
           _ ->
             {:ok, [text: escape_html(open)], r_tokens}
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ defmodule Textile.ParserHelpers do
 
       defp unquote(name)(parser, [{unquote(:"b_#{open_token}"), open} | r_tokens]) do
         with {:ok, tree, [{unquote(:"b_#{close_token}"), _close} | r2_tokens]} <- well_formed(parser, r_tokens) do
-          {:ok, [markup: unquote(open_tag)] ++ tree ++ [markup: unquote(close_tag)], r2_tokens}
+          {:ok, [{:markup, unquote(open_tag)}, tree, {:markup, unquote(close_tag)}], r2_tokens}
         else
           _ ->
             {:ok, [text: escape_html(open)], r_tokens}
diff --git a/lib/textile/token_coalescer.ex b/lib/textile/token_coalescer.ex
index 526545b1..65f02a96 100644
--- a/lib/textile/token_coalescer.ex
+++ b/lib/textile/token_coalescer.ex
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 defmodule Textile.TokenCoalescer do
   # The lexer, as a practical concern, does not coalesce runs of
   # character tokens. This fixes that.
-  def coalesce(tokens) do
+  def coalesce_lex(tokens) do
     tokens
     |> Enum.chunk_by(&is_number(&1))
     |> Enum.flat_map(fn
@@ -12,4 +12,20 @@ defmodule Textile.TokenCoalescer do
         t
     end)
   end
+
+  def coalesce_parse(tokens) do
+    tokens
+    |> List.flatten()
+    |> Enum.chunk_by(fn {k, _v} -> k == :text end)
+    |> Enum.flat_map(fn t ->
+      [{type, _v} | _rest] = t
+
+      value =
+        t
+        |> Enum.map(fn {_k, v} -> v end)
+        |> Enum.join("")
+
+      [{type, value}]
+    end)
+  end
 end
\ No newline at end of file