diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/smartypants.py b/src/calibre/utils/smartypants.py
index fa3119bf53..c29b258722 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/smartypants.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/smartypants.py
@@ -601,10 +601,6 @@ def educateQuotes(str):
 	# Special case for Quotes at end of line with a preceeding space (may change just to end of line)
 	str = re.sub(r"""(?<=\s)"$""", r"""&#8221;""", str)
 	str = re.sub(r"""(?<=\s)'$""", r"""&#8217;""", str)
-	
-	# Special case for Quotes at beginning of line with a space - multiparagraph quoted text:
-	str = re.sub(r"""^"(?=\s)""", r"""&#8220;""", str)
-	str = re.sub(r"""^'(?=\s)""", r"""&#8216;""", str)
 
 	# Special case for decade abbreviations (the '80s):
 	str = re.sub(r"""\b'(?=\d{2}s)""", r"""&#8217;""", str)