diff --git a/src/support/docstream.cpp b/src/support/docstream.cpp
index e8839e07f6..38cabc453c 100644
--- a/src/support/docstream.cpp
+++ b/src/support/docstream.cpp
@@ -414,12 +414,9 @@ void otexstream::put(char_type const & c)
 		protectspace_ = false;
 	}
 	os_.put(c);
-	lastchar_ = c;
-	if (c == '\n') {
+	lastChar(c);
+	if (c == '\n')
 		texrow_.newline();
-		canbreakline_ = false;
-	} else
-		canbreakline_ = true;
 }
 
 
@@ -432,7 +429,6 @@ otexstream & operator<<(otexstream & ots, BreakLine)
 	if (ots.canBreakLine()) {
 		ots.os().put('\n');
 		ots.lastChar('\n');
-		ots.canBreakLine(false);
 		ots.texrow().newline();
 	}
 	ots.protectSpace(false);
@@ -445,7 +441,6 @@ otexstream & operator<<(otexstream & ots, SafeBreakLine)
 	if (ots.canBreakLine()) {
 		ots.os() << "%\n";
 		ots.lastChar('\n');
-		ots.canBreakLine(false);
 		ots.texrow().newline();
 	}
 	ots.protectSpace(false);
@@ -503,9 +498,10 @@ otexstream & operator<<(otexstream & ots, docstring const & s)
 	} else
 		ots.os() << s;
 
+	if (len > 1)
+		ots.canBreakLine(s[len - 2] != '\n');
 	ots.lastChar(s[len - 1]);
 	ots.texrow().newlines(count(s.begin(), s.end(), '\n'));
-	ots.canBreakLine(s[len - 1] != '\n');
 	return ots;
 }
 
@@ -535,7 +531,6 @@ otexstream & operator<<(otexstream & ots, char c)
 	ots.lastChar(c);
 	if (c == '\n')
 		ots.texrow().newline();
-	ots.canBreakLine(c != '\n');
 	return ots;
 }
 
@@ -545,7 +540,6 @@ otexstream & operator<<(otexstream & ots, Type value)
 {
 	ots.os() << value;
 	ots.lastChar(0);
-	ots.canBreakLine(true);
 	ots.protectSpace(false);
 	return ots;
 }
diff --git a/src/support/docstream.h b/src/support/docstream.h
index 6da05e36a8..e2f56f91c8 100644
--- a/src/support/docstream.h
+++ b/src/support/docstream.h
@@ -90,15 +90,16 @@ typedef odocstream & (*odocstream_manip)(odocstream &);
     they were iomanip's to ensure that the next output will start at the
     beginning of a line. Using "breakln", a '\n' char will be output if needed,
     while using "safebreakln", "%\n" will be output if needed.
-    The class also records the last output character.
+    The class also records the last output character and can tell whether
+    a paragraph break was just output.
   */
 
 class otexstream {
 public:
 	///
 	otexstream(odocstream & os, TexRow & texrow)
-		: os_(os), texrow_(texrow),
-		  canbreakline_(false), protectspace_(false), lastchar_(0) {}
+		: os_(os), texrow_(texrow), canbreakline_(false),
+		  protectspace_(false), parbreak_(true), lastchar_(0) {}
 	///
 	odocstream & os() { return os_; }
 	///
@@ -114,9 +115,16 @@ public:
 	///
 	bool protectSpace() const { return protectspace_; }
 	///
-	void lastChar(char_type const & c) { lastchar_ = c; }
+	void lastChar(char_type const & c)
+	{
+		parbreak_ = (!canbreakline_ && c == '\n');
+		canbreakline_ = (c != '\n');
+		lastchar_ = c;
+	}
 	///
 	char_type lastChar() const { return lastchar_; }
+	///
+	bool afterParbreak() const { return parbreak_; }
 private:
 	///
 	odocstream & os_;
@@ -127,6 +135,8 @@ private:
 	///
 	bool protectspace_;
 	///
+	bool parbreak_;
+	///
 	char_type lastchar_;
 };