diff --git a/aegisub/src/subtitle_format.cpp b/aegisub/src/subtitle_format.cpp
index ea74f6c16..2aca78da6 100644
--- a/aegisub/src/subtitle_format.cpp
+++ b/aegisub/src/subtitle_format.cpp
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ void SubtitleFormat::SortLines() {
 /// @param format  
 /// @param lineEnd 
 ///
-void SubtitleFormat::ConvertTags(int format,wxString lineEnd) {
+void SubtitleFormat::ConvertTags(int format,const wxString &lineEnd,bool mergeLineBreaks) {
 	using std::list;
 	list<AssEntry*>::iterator next;
 	for (list<AssEntry*>::iterator cur=Line->begin();cur!=Line->end();cur++) {
@@ -431,7 +431,9 @@ void SubtitleFormat::ConvertTags(int format,wxString lineEnd) {
 			current->Text.Replace(_T("\\h"),_T(" "),true);
 			current->Text.Replace(_T("\\n"),lineEnd,true);
 			current->Text.Replace(_T("\\N"),lineEnd,true);
-			while (current->Text.Replace(lineEnd+lineEnd,lineEnd,true)) {};
+			if (mergeLineBreaks) {
+				while (current->Text.Replace(lineEnd+lineEnd,lineEnd,true)) {};
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/aegisub/src/subtitle_format.h b/aegisub/src/subtitle_format.h
index 7c368a640..f6df35448 100644
--- a/aegisub/src/subtitle_format.h
+++ b/aegisub/src/subtitle_format.h
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ protected:
 	void CreateCopy();
 	void ClearCopy();
 	void SortLines();
-	void ConvertTags(int format,wxString lineEnd);
+	void ConvertTags(int format,const wxString &lineEnd,bool mergeLineBreaks=true);
 	//void Merge(bool identical,bool overlaps,bool stripComments,bool stripNonDialogue);
 	void StripComments();
 	void StripNonDialogue();
diff --git a/aegisub/src/subtitle_format_srt.cpp b/aegisub/src/subtitle_format_srt.cpp
index 7bbe08c95..04e308aed 100644
--- a/aegisub/src/subtitle_format_srt.cpp
+++ b/aegisub/src/subtitle_format_srt.cpp
@@ -184,7 +184,8 @@ found_timestamps:
 				if (text_line.IsEmpty()) {
 					// that's not very interesting... blank subtitle?
 					state = 5;
-					linebreak_debt = 1;
+					// no previous line that needs a line break after
+					linebreak_debt = 0;
 					break;
 				}
 				line->Text.Append(text_line);
@@ -197,6 +198,7 @@ found_timestamps:
 				if (text_line.IsEmpty()) {
 					// blank line, next may begin a new subtitle
 					state = 5;
+					// previous line needs a line break after
 					linebreak_debt = 1;
 					break;
 				}
@@ -262,12 +264,12 @@ void SRTSubtitleFormat::WriteFile(wxString _filename,wxString encoding) {
 	StripComments();
 	// Tags must be converted in two passes
 	// First ASS style overrides are converted to SRT but linebreaks are kept
-	ConvertTags(2,_T("\\N"));
+	ConvertTags(2,_T("\\N"),false);
 	// Then we can recombine overlaps, this requires ASS style linebreaks
 	RecombineOverlaps();
 	MergeIdentical();
 	// And finally convert linebreaks
-	ConvertTags(0,_T("\r\n"));
+	ConvertTags(0,_T("\r\n"),false);
 	// Otherwise unclosed overrides might affect lines they shouldn't, see bug #809 for example
 
 	// Write lines