diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/mobi/mobiml.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/mobi/mobiml.py
index 26edeab24c..741b0d6a8d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/mobi/mobiml.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/mobi/mobiml.py
@@ -525,6 +525,8 @@ class MobiMLizer(object):
                     else:
                         break
                 if vbstate.para is not None:
+                    if vbstate.para.text:
+                        vtag.text = vbstate.para.text
                     for child in vbstate.para:
                         vtag.append(child)
                 return