diff --git a/lib/marked.js b/lib/marked.js
index 4dee3b94..b86eb9aa 100644
--- a/lib/marked.js
+++ b/lib/marked.js
@@ -17,15 +17,22 @@ var block = {
   heading: /^ *(#{1,6}) *([^\n]+?) *#* *(?:\n+|$)/,
   lheading: /^([^\n]+)\n *(=|-){3,} *\n*/,
   blockquote: /^( *>[^\n]+(\n[^\n]+)*\n*)+/,
-  list: /^( *)([*+-]|\d+\.) [^\0]+?(?:\n{2,}(?! )(?!\1bullet)\n*|\s*$)/,
+  list: /^( *)(bull) [^\0]+?(?:rule|\n{2,}(?! )(?!\1bull )\n*|\s*$)/,
   html: /^ *(?:comment|closed|closing) *(?:\n{2,}|\s*$)/,
   def: /^ *\[([^\]]+)\]: *([^\s]+)(?: +["(]([^\n]+)[")])? *(?:\n+|$)/,
   paragraph: /^([^\n]+\n?(?!body))+\n*/,
   text: /^[^\n]+/
 };
 
+block.bullet = /(?:[*+-]|\d+\.)/;
+block.item = /^( *)(bull) [^\n]*(?:\n(?!\1bull )[^\n]*)*/;
+block.item = replace(block.item, 'gm')
+  (/bull/g, block.bullet)
+  ();
+
 block.list = replace(block.list)
-  ('bullet', /(?:[*+-](?!(?: *[-*]){2,})|\d+\.) /)
+  (/bull/g, block.bullet)
+  ('rule', /\n+(?=(?: *[-*_]){3,})/)
   ();
 
 block.html = replace(block.html)
@@ -193,9 +200,7 @@ block.token = function(src, tokens, top) {
       });
 
       // Get each top-level item.
-      cap = cap[0].match(
-        /^( *)([*+-]|\d+\.) [^\n]*(?:\n(?!\1(?:[*+-]|\d+\.) )[^\n]*)*/gm
-      );
+      cap = cap[0].match(block.item);
 
       next = false;
       l = cap.length;
@@ -688,10 +693,11 @@ function tag() {
   return tag;
 }
 
-function replace(regex) {
+function replace(regex, opt) {
   regex = regex.source;
+  opt = opt || '';
   return function self(name, val) {
-    if (!name) return new RegExp(regex);
+    if (!name) return new RegExp(regex, opt);
     regex = regex.replace(name, val.source || val);
     return self;
   };
diff --git a/test/new/hr_list_break.html b/test/new/hr_list_break.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bd3ad1f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/new/hr_list_break.html
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<ul>
+<li>hello
+world</li>
+<li>how
+are</li>
+</ul>
+
+<hr>
+
+<p>you today?</p>
diff --git a/test/new/hr_list_break.text b/test/new/hr_list_break.text
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..036fe479
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/new/hr_list_break.text
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+* hello
+world
+* how
+are
+* * *
+you today?
diff --git a/test/tests/hr_list_break.html b/test/tests/hr_list_break.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bd3ad1f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/tests/hr_list_break.html
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<ul>
+<li>hello
+world</li>
+<li>how
+are</li>
+</ul>
+
+<hr>
+
+<p>you today?</p>
diff --git a/test/tests/hr_list_break.text b/test/tests/hr_list_break.text
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..036fe479
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/tests/hr_list_break.text
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+* hello
+world
+* how
+are
+* * *
+you today?