diff --git a/src/inline.rs b/src/inline.rs
index 8ceedb2..75feccf 100644
--- a/src/inline.rs
+++ b/src/inline.rs
@@ -401,6 +401,14 @@ impl<I: Iterator<Item = char> + Clone> Parser<I> {
                     if matches!(dir, Dir::Open) {
                         return None;
                     }
+                    if matches!(dir, Dir::Both)
+                        && self
+                            .events
+                            .back()
+                            .map_or(false, |ev| matches!(ev.kind, EventKind::Whitespace))
+                    {
+                        return None;
+                    }
                     let (d, e) = self.openers[o];
                     let e_attr = e;
                     let e_opener = e + 1;
@@ -476,6 +484,13 @@ impl<I: Iterator<Item = char> + Clone> Parser<I> {
                     if matches!(dir, Dir::Close) {
                         return None;
                     }
+                    if matches!(dir, Dir::Both)
+                        && self
+                            .peek()
+                            .map_or(true, |t| matches!(t.kind, lex::Kind::Whitespace))
+                    {
+                        return None;
+                    }
                     self.openers.push((delim, self.events.len()));
                     // push dummy event in case attributes are encountered after closing delimiter
                     self.events.push_back(Event {