diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/fb2ml.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/fb2ml.py
index 5697f2262a..12dd539e53 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/fb2ml.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/fb2ml.py
@@ -81,22 +81,24 @@ class FB2MLizer(object):
         # Condense empty paragraphs into a line break.
         text = re.sub(r'(?mu)(?:<p></p>\s*){3,}', '<empty-line/>', text)
         # Remove empty paragraphs.
-        text = re.sub(r'(?mu)<p></p>', '', text)
+        text = re.sub(r'(?mu)<p></p>\s*', '', text)
         # Put the paragraph following a paragraph on a separate line.
         text = re.sub(r'(?mu)</p>\s*<p>', '</p>\n<p>', text)
 
         # Clean up title endings.
         text = re.sub(r'(?mu)\s+</title>', '</title>', text)
         # Remove empty title elements.
-        text = re.sub(r'(?mu)<title></title>', '', text)
+        text = re.sub(r'(?mu)<title></title>\s*', '', text)
         # Put the paragraph following a title on a separate line.
         text = re.sub(r'(?mu)</title>\s*<p>', '</title>\n<p>', text)
 
         # Remove empty sections.
         text = re.sub(r'(?mu)<section>\s*</section>', '', text)
         # Clean up sections starts and ends.
-        text = re.sub(r'(?mu)\s*<section>\s*', '\n<section>\n', text)
-        text = re.sub(r'(?mu)\s*</section>\s*', '\n</section>\n', text)
+        text = re.sub(r'(?mu)\s*<section>', '\n<section>', text)
+        text = re.sub(r'(?mu)<section>\s*', '<section>\n', text)
+        text = re.sub(r'(?mu)\s*</section>', '\n</section>', text)
+        text = re.sub(r'(?mu)</section>\s*', '</section>\n', text)
         # Put the section following a section on a separate line.
         text = re.sub(r'(?mu)</section>\s*<section>', '</section>\n<section>', text)