diff --git a/lib/rules.js b/lib/rules.js
index 84a81984..613d0800 100644
--- a/lib/rules.js
+++ b/lib/rules.js
@@ -936,13 +936,17 @@ module.exports = [
       function base(token) {
         if (token.type === "paragraph_open") {
           return function inParagraph(t) {
-            if ((t.type === "inline") &&
-                (t.children.length === 3) &&
-                ((t.children[0].type === "strong_open") ||
-                 (t.children[0].type === "em_open")) &&
-                (t.children[1].type === "text") &&
-                !re.test(t.children[1].content)) {
-              errors.addContext(t.lineNumber, t.children[1].content);
+            // Always paragraph_open/inline/paragraph_close,
+            // omit (t.type === "inline")
+            var children = t.children.filter(function notEmptyText(child) {
+              return (child.type !== "text") || (child.content !== "");
+            });
+            if ((children.length === 3) &&
+                ((children[0].type === "strong_open") ||
+                 (children[0].type === "em_open")) &&
+                (children[1].type === "text") &&
+                !re.test(children[1].content)) {
+              errors.addContext(t.lineNumber, children[1].content);
             }
             return base;
           };
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3629105e..d23d8df2 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     "example": "cd example && node standalone.js && grunt markdownlint --force && gulp markdownlint"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "markdown-it": "8.3.2"
+    "markdown-it": "8.4.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "browserify": "^14.5.0",