diff --git a/dist/converse.js b/dist/converse.js
index c07b40932..b1076b5aa 100644
--- a/dist/converse.js
+++ b/dist/converse.js
@@ -86946,7 +86946,7 @@ var __WEBPACK_AMD_DEFINE_FACTORY__, __WEBPACK_AMD_DEFINE_ARRAY__, __WEBPACK_AMD_
   };
 
   u.renderNewLines = function (text) {
-    return text.replace(/\n+/g, '<br/>');
+    return text.replace(/\n\n+/g, '<br><br>').replace(/\n/g, '<br/>');
   };
 
   u.renderImageURLs = function (_converse, obj) {
diff --git a/spec/messages.js b/spec/messages.js
index 0d4b5cb9d..22c7c0d08 100644
--- a/spec/messages.js
+++ b/spec/messages.js
@@ -1091,7 +1091,7 @@
                 "    <body>Hey\n\n\nHave you heard the news?</body>"+
                 "</message>").firstChild;
             _converse.connection._dataRecv(test_utils.createRequest(stanza));
-            expect(chat_content.querySelector('.message:last-child .chat-msg-text').innerHTML).toBe('Hey<br>Have you heard the news?');
+            expect(chat_content.querySelector('.message:last-child .chat-msg-text').innerHTML).toBe('Hey<br><br>Have you heard the news?');
 
             stanza = Strophe.xmlHtmlNode(
                 "<message from='"+contact_jid+"'"+
diff --git a/src/utils/core.js b/src/utils/core.js
index 40c96fa31..07bba9ed8 100644
--- a/src/utils/core.js
+++ b/src/utils/core.js
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@
     };
 
     u.renderNewLines = function (text) {
-        return text.replace(/\n+/g, '<br/>');
+        return text.replace(/\n\n+/g, '<br><br>').replace(/\n/g, '<br/>');
     };
 
     u.renderImageURLs = function (_converse, obj) {
