diff --git a/lib/textile/lexer.ex b/lib/textile/lexer.ex
index e82d539e..5dfc61dd 100644
--- a/lib/textile/lexer.ex
+++ b/lib/textile/lexer.ex
@@ -192,16 +192,22 @@ defmodule Textile.Lexer do
 
   # Textile
 
+  markup_ends =
+    choice([
+      spoiler_close,
+      blockquote_close,
+      eos()
+    ])
 
-  {markup_start, markup_element} = markup_ending_in(eos())
+  {markup_start, markup_element} = markup_ending_in(markup_ends)
 
   textile_default =
     choice([
       bracketed_literal,
-      blockquote_open_cite,
-      blockquote_open,
+      blockquote_open_cite |> optional(markup_start),
+      blockquote_open |> optional(markup_start),
       blockquote_close,
-      spoiler_open,
+      spoiler_open |> optional(markup_start),
       spoiler_close,
       link,
       image
diff --git a/lib/textile/markup_lexer.ex b/lib/textile/markup_lexer.ex
index f72f20c3..dc1e4db1 100644
--- a/lib/textile/markup_lexer.ex
+++ b/lib/textile/markup_lexer.ex
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ defmodule Textile.MarkupLexer do
 
     markup_at_start =
       choice([
-        markup_opening_tags,
+        times(markup_opening_tags, min: 1),
         bracketed_markup_opening_tags
       ])
 
@@ -159,8 +159,8 @@ defmodule Textile.MarkupLexer do
         literal,
         bracketed_markup_closing_tags,
         bracketed_markup_opening_tags |> lookahead_not(space()),
-        preceding_whitespace |> concat(markup_opening_tags),
-        markup_closing_tags |> lookahead(choice([special_characters(), ending_sequence])),
+        preceding_whitespace |> times(markup_opening_tags, min: 1),
+        times(markup_closing_tags, min: 1) |> lookahead(choice([special_characters(), ending_sequence])),
         double_newline,
         newline,
         utf8_char([])