diff --git a/gemtext-parser.c b/gemtext-parser.c
index 4ac2a43..72b830f 100644
--- a/gemtext-parser.c
+++ b/gemtext-parser.c
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ void switchMode(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextParserMode mode, char c) {
 
 void enterPreformattedMode(gemtextParser *parser) {
     parser->mode = preformattedMode;
-    parser->state = preformattedAlt;
+    parser->state = trimStart;
     lineBufferReset(&parser->buffer);
 }
 
@@ -360,13 +360,24 @@ int parsePreformatted(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextLineQueue *lq, char c) {
 
     assert(parser->mode == preformattedMode);
     switch (parser->state) {
+    case trimStart:
+        if (c == '\n') {
+            parser->state = lineStart;
+            parser->altText = NULL;
+        } else if (c == ' ' || c == '\t') {
+            lineBufferRewind(&parser->buffer);
+        } else {
+            parser->state = preformattedAlt;
+        }
+        break;
     case preformattedAlt:
         if (c == '\n') {
-            parser->state = normalState;
+            parser->state = lineStart;
             if (parser->buffer.len > 0) {
-                buf = strncpy(buf, parser->buffer.buf, parser->buffer.len);
+                buf = strndup(parser->buffer.buf, parser->buffer.len - 1);
                 if (buf == NULL) return errno;
                 parser->altText = buf;
+                lineBufferReset(&parser->buffer);
             }
         }
         break;
@@ -377,7 +388,11 @@ int parsePreformatted(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextLineQueue *lq, char c) {
         break;
     case lineStart:
         if (c == '\n') {
+            parser->state = lineStart;
+        } else if (c == '`') {
             parser->state = firstBacktickChar;
+        } else {
+            parser->state = normalState;
         }
         break;
     case firstBacktickChar:
@@ -564,6 +579,7 @@ int parseNormal(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextLineQueue *lq, char c) {
             parser->state = normalState;
             parser->mode = normalMode;
         }
+        break;
     case secondBacktickChar:
         if (c == '`') {
             enterPreformattedMode(parser);
@@ -574,6 +590,7 @@ int parseNormal(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextLineQueue *lq, char c) {
             parser->state = normalState;
             parser->mode = normalMode;
         }
+        break;
     default:
         break;
     }
diff --git a/test/parse-gemtext0.c b/test/parse-gemtext0.c
index e574da3..a3949ef 100644
--- a/test/parse-gemtext0.c
+++ b/test/parse-gemtext0.c
@@ -81,7 +81,17 @@ int main() {
     assert(memcmp(line->link->display, "This is a link", 14) == 0);
     gemtextLineDeinit(line);
 
-    gemtextLineDeinit(lq.head);
+    line = gemtextLineQueueTryPop(&lq);
+    assert(line->lineType == normalLine);
+    assert(*line->str == '\n');
+    gemtextLineDeinit(line);
+
+    line = gemtextLineQueueTryPop(&lq);
+    assert(line->lineType == preformattedLine);
+    assert(memcmp(line->node->altText, "Test preformatted block", 23) == 0);
+    assert(memcmp(line->node->body, "This is a preformatted block", 28) == 0);
+    gemtextLineDeinit(line);
+
     gemtextParserDeinit(&parser);
     return ret;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/test0.gmi b/test/test0.gmi
index a1f5319..612dc00 100644
--- a/test/test0.gmi
+++ b/test/test0.gmi
@@ -10,4 +10,10 @@ This is a simple gemtext file used for testing the gemtext parser. There's nothi
 * First item
 * second item
 
-=> gemini://example.org/test.gmi This is a link
\ No newline at end of file
+=> gemini://example.org/test.gmi This is a link
+
+``` Test preformatted block
+This is a preformatted block.
+Everything in this block should appear exactly as entered in a Monospace font,
+with no styling applied.
+```