diff --git a/doc/parser/kramdown.page b/doc/parser/kramdown.page
index a851628f..3dd4e9f2 100644
--- a/doc/parser/kramdown.page
+++ b/doc/parser/kramdown.page
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ option `html_to_native` to `true` to achieve this.
 
 The kramdown parser supports the following options:
 
-{options: {items: [parse_block_html, parse_span_html, html_to_native]}}
+{options: {items: [auto_dd_para, parse_block_html, parse_span_html, html_to_native]}}
 
 
 [PHP Markdown Extra]: http://michelf.com/projects/php-markdown/extra/
diff --git a/doc/syntax.page b/doc/syntax.page
index e8477a59..bb2c2c63 100644
--- a/doc/syntax.page
+++ b/doc/syntax.page
@@ -732,13 +732,16 @@ paragraph otherwise:
 
     definition term
     : This definition will just be text because it would normally be a
-      paragraph and the there is no preceding blank line.
+      paragraph and there is no preceding blank line.
 
       > although the definition contains other block-level elements
 
     : This definition *will* be a paragraph since it is preceded by a
       blank line.
 
+To avoid the resulting mix of inline and block elements, you can use the `:auto_dd_para` option to
+mark the first paragraph as such if it is followed by more blocks belonging to the same definition.
+
 The rules about having any block-level element as first element in a list item also apply to a
 definition.
 
diff --git a/lib/kramdown/options.rb b/lib/kramdown/options.rb
index cc58b0a7..6897d5c4 100644
--- a/lib/kramdown/options.rb
+++ b/lib/kramdown/options.rb
@@ -305,6 +305,25 @@ def self.simple_hash_validator(val, name)
       val
     end
 
+    define(:auto_dd_para, Boolean, false, <<EOF)
+Avoid creation of inline elements adjacent to block elements in
+definitions (`:dd` elements).
+
+Without this option, the first paragraph following a definition marker
+is marked as a block only if the preceding source line is blank.
+Subsequent paragraphs following the same definition marker are always
+converted to block elements however. This can result in inline text
+followed by block elements in HTML output.
+
+With this option, the parser also checks if there is more than one
+paragraph following the same definition marker. If so, the first
+paragraph is marked as a block as well. This is roughly similar to how
+other list types are handled.
+
+Default: false
+Used by: kramdown parser
+EOF
+
     define(:footnote_nr, Integer, 1, <<EOF)
 The number of the first footnote
 
diff --git a/lib/kramdown/parser/kramdown/list.rb b/lib/kramdown/parser/kramdown/list.rb
index c97b4009..c936c37c 100644
--- a/lib/kramdown/parser/kramdown/list.rb
+++ b/lib/kramdown/parser/kramdown/list.rb
@@ -219,6 +219,8 @@ def parse_definition_list
         deflist.children.each do |it|
           next if it.type == :dt
 
+          first_as_para = it.options.delete(:first_as_para)
+
           parse_blocks(it, it.value)
           it.value = nil
           next if it.children.size == 0
@@ -229,7 +231,8 @@ def parse_definition_list
             last = nil
           end
 
-          if it.children.first && it.children.first.type == :p && !it.options.delete(:first_as_para)
+          if it.children.first && it.children.first.type == :p &&
+            !(first_as_para || (@options[:auto_dd_para] && it.children.size > 1))
             it.children.first.children.first.value << "\n" if it.children.size > 1
             it.children.first.options[:transparent] = true
           end
diff --git a/test/testcases/block/13_definition_list/auto_dd_para.html b/test/testcases/block/13_definition_list/auto_dd_para.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0257d5f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testcases/block/13_definition_list/auto_dd_para.html
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+<dl>
+  <dt>item1</dt>
+  <dd>
+    <p>para-iff-auto</p>
+
+    <p>para</p>
+  </dd>
+  <dt>item2</dt>
+  <dd>
+    <p>para-iff-auto</p>
+    <p>para</p>
+  </dd>
+  <dt>item3</dt>
+  <dd>
+    <p>para</p>
+  </dd>
+  <dt>item4</dt>
+  <dd>inline</dd>
+  <dt>item5</dt>
+  <dd>
+    <p>para-iff-auto</p>
+  </dd>
+  <dt>item6</dt>
+  <dd>
+    <p>para</p>
+  </dd>
+  <dt>item7</dt>
+  <dd>inline</dd>
+  <dt>item9</dt>
+  <dd>inline</dd>
+</dl>
+
diff --git a/test/testcases/block/13_definition_list/auto_dd_para.options b/test/testcases/block/13_definition_list/auto_dd_para.options
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c900b0cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testcases/block/13_definition_list/auto_dd_para.options
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+:auto_dd_para: true
diff --git a/test/testcases/block/13_definition_list/auto_dd_para.text b/test/testcases/block/13_definition_list/auto_dd_para.text
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..62682573
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testcases/block/13_definition_list/auto_dd_para.text
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+item1
+: para-iff-auto
+
+  para
+
+item2
+: para-iff-auto
+  ^
+  para
+
+item3
+
+: para
+
+item4
+: inline
+
+item5
+: para-iff-auto
+  ^
+
+item6
+: ^
+  para
+
+item7
+: 
+    inline
+
+item9
+: inline
+
+