diff --git a/src/core/parser/markdown/compiler.ts b/src/core/parser/markdown/compiler.ts
index 23102ca82..d30a7f03b 100644
--- a/src/core/parser/markdown/compiler.ts
+++ b/src/core/parser/markdown/compiler.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,23 @@ function parseAsJSON(node: Node, parent: DocusMarkdownNode[]) {
   if (node.type === 'element') {
     const childs = []
 
+    if (node.tagName === 'prose-li') {
+      // unwrap unwanted paragraphs around `<li>` children
+      node.children = (node.children as Node[]).flatMap(child => {
+        if (child.tagName === 'prose-paragraph') {
+          return [
+            ...(child.children as Node[]),
+            {
+              type: 'element',
+              tagName: 'br',
+              properties: {}
+            }
+          ]
+        }
+        return child
+      })
+    }
+
     /**
      * Replace a tag with nuxt-link if relative
      */
diff --git a/src/core/parser/markdown/handler/listItem.ts b/src/core/parser/markdown/handler/listItem.ts
index c92220f9c..b663c71d0 100644
--- a/src/core/parser/markdown/handler/listItem.ts
+++ b/src/core/parser/markdown/handler/listItem.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import all from 'mdast-util-to-hast/lib/all'
 
 export default function listItem(h: H, node: Node, parent: Node) {
   const result = all(h, node)
-  let head = result[0]
   const loose = parent ? listLoose(parent) : listItemLoose(node)
   const props: any = {}
   let wrapped = []
@@ -13,16 +12,7 @@ export default function listItem(h: H, node: Node, parent: Node) {
   let child
 
   if (typeof node.checked === 'boolean') {
-    if (!head || head.tagName !== 'p') {
-      head = h(null, 'p', [])
-      result.unshift(head)
-    }
-
-    if (head.children.length > 0) {
-      head.children.unshift(u('text', ' '))
-    }
-
-    head.children.unshift(
+    result.unshift(
       h(null, 'input', {
         type: 'checkbox',
         checked: node.checked,