diff --git a/base/markdown/Common/Common.jl b/base/markdown/Common/Common.jl
index b98cb68d97cf7..23e849e12607b 100644
--- a/base/markdown/Common/Common.jl
+++ b/base/markdown/Common/Common.jl
@@ -2,4 +2,6 @@ include("block.jl")
 include("inline.jl")
 
 @flavor common [list, indentcode, blockquote, hashheader, paragraph,
-                 escapes, en_dash, inline_code, asterisk_bold, asterisk_italic, image, link]
+
+                linebreak, escapes, en_dash, inline_code, asterisk_bold,
+                asterisk_italic, image, link]
diff --git a/base/markdown/Common/inline.jl b/base/markdown/Common/inline.jl
index 492d62268bb1e..6b2a08c1c36de 100644
--- a/base/markdown/Common/inline.jl
+++ b/base/markdown/Common/inline.jl
@@ -78,6 +78,14 @@ end
 # Punctuation
 # –––––––––––
 
+type LineBreak end
+
+@trigger "\\\n" ->
+function linebreak(stream::IO)
+    skip(stream, 2)
+    return LineBreak()
+end
+
 @trigger '-' ->
 function en_dash(stream::IO)
     if startswith(stream, "--")
@@ -85,7 +93,7 @@ function en_dash(stream::IO)
     end
 end
 
-const escape_chars = "\\`*_#+-.!{[("
+const escape_chars = "\\`*_#+-.!{[(\$"
 
 @trigger '\\' ->
 function escapes(stream::IO)
diff --git a/base/markdown/GitHub/GitHub.jl b/base/markdown/GitHub/GitHub.jl
index 56bd5ea6544b8..f8ac635431b11 100644
--- a/base/markdown/GitHub/GitHub.jl
+++ b/base/markdown/GitHub/GitHub.jl
@@ -36,4 +36,6 @@ end
 # TODO: tables
 
 @flavor github [list, indentcode, blockquote, fencedcode, hashheader, github_paragraph,
-                 en_dash, inline_code, asterisk_bold, asterisk_italic, image, link]
+
+                linebreak, escapes, en_dash, inline_code, asterisk_bold, asterisk_italic,
+                image, link]
diff --git a/base/markdown/Julia/Julia.jl b/base/markdown/Julia/Julia.jl
index 58153e84ab31f..20f89000836d4 100644
--- a/base/markdown/Julia/Julia.jl
+++ b/base/markdown/Julia/Julia.jl
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ include("interp.jl")
 @flavor julia [blocktex, blockinterp, hashheader, list, indentcode, fencedcode,
                blockquote, paragraph,
 
-               escapes, latex, interp, en_dash, inline_code, asterisk_bold,
+               linebreak, escapes, latex, interp, en_dash, inline_code, asterisk_bold,
                asterisk_italic, image, link]
diff --git a/base/markdown/render/html.jl b/base/markdown/render/html.jl
index 89f7616726af5..5301f207fa33c 100644
--- a/base/markdown/render/html.jl
+++ b/base/markdown/render/html.jl
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ function htmlinline(io::IO, link::Link)
     print(io,"""</a>""")
 end
 
+function htmlinline(io::IO, br::LineBreak)
+   print(io, "<br />")
+end
+
 htmlinline(io::IO, x) = tohtml(io, x)
 
 # API
diff --git a/base/markdown/render/plain.jl b/base/markdown/render/plain.jl
index c4fa555b709b7..630a80a09a94c 100644
--- a/base/markdown/render/plain.jl
+++ b/base/markdown/render/plain.jl
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ function plain(io::IO, list::List)
     end
 end
 
+function plaininline(io::IO, br::LineBreak)
+   println(io)
+end
+
 plain(io::IO, x) = tohtml(io, x)
 
 # Inline elements
diff --git a/base/markdown/render/terminal/render.jl b/base/markdown/render/terminal/render.jl
index 63de8036f845b..ffff1b570791c 100644
--- a/base/markdown/render/terminal/render.jl
+++ b/base/markdown/render/terminal/render.jl
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ function term(io::IO, md::Code, columns)
     end
 end
 
+function term(io::IO, br::LineBreak, columns)
+   println(io)
+end
+
 term(io::IO, x, _) = writemime(io, MIME"text/plain"(), x)
 
 # Inline Content