diff --git a/src/elements/block.rs b/src/elements/block.rs
index 4130c87..30b1306 100644
--- a/src/elements/block.rs
+++ b/src/elements/block.rs
@@ -13,19 +13,19 @@ pub fn parse(src: &str) -> Option<(&str, Option<&str>, usize, usize, usize)> {
     let name = memchr2(b' ', b'\n', src.as_bytes())
         .filter(|&i| src.as_bytes()[8..i].iter().all(u8::is_ascii_alphabetic))?;
     let mut lines = Lines::new(src);
-    let (pre_cont_end, cont_beg, _) = lines.next()?;
-    let args = if pre_cont_end == name {
+    let (pre_limit, begin, _) = lines.next()?;
+    let args = if pre_limit == name {
         None
     } else {
-        Some(&src[name..pre_cont_end])
+        Some(&src[name..pre_limit])
     };
     let name = &src[8..name];
     let end_line = format!(r"#+END_{}", name.to_uppercase());
-    let mut pre_end = cont_beg;
+    let mut pre_end = begin;
 
     for (_, end, line) in lines {
         if line.trim() == end_line {
-            return Some((name, args, cont_beg, pre_end, end));
+            return Some((name, args, begin, pre_end, end));
         } else {
             pre_end = end;
         }
diff --git a/src/elements/dyn_block.rs b/src/elements/dyn_block.rs
index 8dcad41..6c0edfd 100644
--- a/src/elements/dyn_block.rs
+++ b/src/elements/dyn_block.rs
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ pub fn parse(src: &str) -> Option<(&str, Option<&str>, usize, usize, usize)> {
     }
 
     let mut lines = Lines::new(src);
-    let (mut pre_cont_end, _, _) = lines.next()?;
+    let (mut pre_limit, _, _) = lines.next()?;
 
-    for (cont_end, end, line) in lines {
+    for (limit, end, line) in lines {
         if line.trim().eq_ignore_ascii_case("#+END:") {
             let bytes = src.as_bytes();
 
@@ -23,21 +23,15 @@ pub fn parse(src: &str) -> Option<(&str, Option<&str>, usize, usize, usize)> {
             let name = &src[8..i].trim();
 
             return Some(if bytes[i] == b'\n' {
-                (name, None, i, pre_cont_end, end)
+                (name, None, i, pre_limit, end)
             } else {
-                let cont_beg = memchr(b'\n', bytes)
+                let begin = memchr(b'\n', bytes)
                     .map(|i| i + 1)
                     .unwrap_or_else(|| src.len());
-                (
-                    name,
-                    Some(&src[i..cont_beg].trim()),
-                    cont_beg,
-                    pre_cont_end,
-                    end,
-                )
+                (name, Some(&src[i..begin].trim()), begin, pre_limit, end)
             });
         }
-        pre_cont_end = cont_end;
+        pre_limit = limit;
     }
 
     None
diff --git a/src/elements/list.rs b/src/elements/list.rs
index 2fd5b80..ad3b5fa 100644
--- a/src/elements/list.rs
+++ b/src/elements/list.rs
@@ -1,39 +1,46 @@
 use crate::lines::Lines;
 
 #[inline]
-pub fn is_item(src: &str) -> (bool, bool) {
-    if src.is_empty() {
-        return (false, false);
+pub fn is_item(text: &str) -> Option<bool> {
+    if text.is_empty() {
+        return None;
     }
-    let bytes = src.as_bytes();
-    let (i, ordered) = match bytes[0] {
-        b'*' | b'-' | b'+' => (1, false),
+
+    let bytes = text.as_bytes();
+    match bytes[0] {
+        b'*' | b'-' | b'+' => {
+            if text.len() > 1 && (bytes[1] == b' ' || bytes[1] == b'\n') {
+                Some(false)
+            } else {
+                None
+            }
+        }
         b'0'...b'9' => {
             let i = bytes
                 .iter()
                 .position(|&c| !c.is_ascii_digit())
-                .unwrap_or_else(|| src.len() - 1);
-            let c = bytes[i];
-            if !(c == b'.' || c == b')') {
-                return (false, false);
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| text.len() - 1);
+            if (bytes[i] == b'.' || bytes[i] == b')')
+                && i + 1 < text.len()
+                && (bytes[i + 1] == b' ' || bytes[i + 1] == b'\n')
+            {
+                Some(true)
+            } else {
+                None
             }
-            (i + 1, true)
         }
-        _ => return (false, false),
-    };
-
-    if i < src.len() {
-        // bullet is follwed by a space or line ending
-        (bytes[i] == b' ' || bytes[i] == b'\n', ordered)
-    } else {
-        (false, false)
+        _ => None,
     }
 }
 
 // returns (bullets, contents begin, contents end, end, has more)
 #[inline]
 pub fn parse(src: &str, ident: usize) -> (&str, usize, usize, usize, bool) {
-    debug_assert!(is_item(&src[ident..]).0);
+    debug_assert!(
+        is_item(&src[ident..]).is_some(),
+        "{:?} is not a list item",
+        src
+    );
     debug_assert!(
         src[..ident].chars().all(|c| c == ' ' || c == '\t'),
         "{:?} doesn't starts with indentation {}",
@@ -42,60 +49,60 @@ pub fn parse(src: &str, ident: usize) -> (&str, usize, usize, usize, bool) {
     );
 
     let mut lines = Lines::new(src);
-    let (mut pre_cont_end, mut pre_end, first_line) = lines.next().unwrap();
-    let beg = match memchr::memchr(b' ', &first_line.as_bytes()[ident..]) {
+    let (mut pre_limit, mut pre_end, first_line) = lines.next().unwrap();
+    let begin = match memchr::memchr(b' ', &first_line.as_bytes()[ident..]) {
         Some(i) => i + ident + 1,
         None => {
             let len = first_line.len();
             return (
-                &first_line,
+                first_line,
                 len,
                 len,
                 len,
-                is_item(lines.next().unwrap().2).0,
+                is_item(lines.next().unwrap().2).is_some(),
             );
         }
     };
-    let bullet = &src[0..beg];
+    let bullet = &src[0..begin];
 
-    while let Some((mut cont_end, mut end, mut line)) = lines.next() {
+    while let Some((mut limit, mut end, mut line)) = lines.next() {
         // this line is emtpy
         if line.is_empty() {
-            if let Some((next_cont_end, next_end, next_line)) = lines.next() {
+            if let Some((next_limit, next_end, next_line)) = lines.next() {
                 // next line is emtpy, too
                 if next_line.is_empty() {
-                    return (bullet, beg, pre_cont_end, next_end, false);
+                    return (bullet, begin, pre_limit, next_end, false);
                 } else {
                     // move to next line
                     pre_end = end;
-                    cont_end = next_cont_end;
+                    limit = next_limit;
                     end = next_end;
                     line = next_line;
                 }
             } else {
-                return (bullet, beg, pre_cont_end, end, false);
+                return (bullet, begin, pre_limit, end, false);
             }
         }
 
         let line_ident = count_ident(line);
 
         if line_ident < ident {
-            return (bullet, beg, pre_cont_end, pre_end, false);
+            return (bullet, begin, pre_limit, pre_end, false);
         } else if line_ident == ident {
             return (
                 bullet,
-                beg,
-                pre_cont_end,
+                begin,
+                pre_limit,
                 pre_end,
-                is_item(&line[ident..]).0,
+                is_item(&line[ident..]).is_some(),
             );
         }
 
         pre_end = end;
-        pre_cont_end = cont_end;
+        pre_limit = limit;
     }
 
-    (bullet, beg, src.len(), src.len(), false)
+    (bullet, begin, src.len(), src.len(), false)
 }
 
 #[inline]
@@ -112,18 +119,18 @@ mod tests {
     fn is_item() {
         use super::is_item;
 
-        assert_eq!(is_item("+ item"), (true, false));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("- item"), (true, false));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("10. item"), (true, true));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("10) item"), (true, true));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("1. item"), (true, true));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("1) item"), (true, true));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("10. "), (true, true));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("10.\n"), (true, true));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("10."), (false, false));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("+"), (false, false));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("-item"), (false, false));
-        assert_eq!(is_item("+item"), (false, false));
+        assert_eq!(is_item("+ item"), Some(false));
+        assert_eq!(is_item("- item"), Some(false));
+        assert_eq!(is_item("10. item"), Some(true));
+        assert_eq!(is_item("10) item"), Some(true));
+        assert_eq!(is_item("1. item"), Some(true));
+        assert_eq!(is_item("1) item"), Some(true));
+        assert_eq!(is_item("10. "), Some(true));
+        assert_eq!(is_item("10.\n"), Some(true));
+        assert_eq!(is_item("10."), None);
+        assert_eq!(is_item("+"), None);
+        assert_eq!(is_item("-item"), None);
+        assert_eq!(is_item("+item"), None);
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/src/lines.rs b/src/lines.rs
index 3c0707e..836f6e5 100644
--- a/src/lines.rs
+++ b/src/lines.rs
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ impl<'a> Iterator for Lines<'a> {
     #[inline]
     fn next(&mut self) -> Option<(usize, usize, &'a str)> {
         self.iter.next().map(|i| {
-            let (line, cont_end) = if i != self.src.len() && self.src.as_bytes()[i - 1] == b'\r' {
+            let (line, limit) = if i != self.src.len() && self.src.as_bytes()[i - 1] == b'\r' {
                 (&self.src[self.start..i - 1], i - 1)
             } else {
                 (&self.src[self.start..i], i)
             };
             self.start = if i != self.src.len() { i + 1 } else { i };
-            (cont_end, self.start, line)
+            (limit, self.start, line)
         })
     }
 
diff --git a/src/objects/timestamp.rs b/src/objects/timestamp.rs
index 567d260..1ff8eb0 100644
--- a/src/objects/timestamp.rs
+++ b/src/objects/timestamp.rs
@@ -151,7 +151,10 @@ pub fn parse_inactive(text: &str) -> Option<(Timestamp<'_>, usize)> {
 }
 
 fn parse_datetime(bytes: &[u8]) -> Option<(Datetime, Option<Datetime>)> {
-    if !bytes[0].is_ascii_digit() || !bytes[bytes.len() - 1].is_ascii_alphanumeric() {
+    if bytes.is_empty()
+        || !bytes[0].is_ascii_digit()
+        || !bytes[bytes.len() - 1].is_ascii_alphanumeric()
+    {
         return None;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
index 4bfab96..aeed002 100644
--- a/src/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -213,35 +213,56 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
     }
 
     fn next_ele(&mut self, text: &'a str) -> Event<'a> {
+        fn skip_empty_lines(text: &str) -> usize {
+            let mut i = 0;
+            for pos in memchr_iter(b'\n', text.as_bytes()) {
+                if text.as_bytes()[i..pos].iter().all(u8::is_ascii_whitespace) {
+                    i = pos + 1;
+                } else {
+                    return i;
+                }
+            }
+            if text.as_bytes()[i..].iter().all(u8::is_ascii_whitespace) {
+                text.len()
+            } else {
+                i
+            }
+        }
+
+        let start = skip_empty_lines(text);
+        if start == text.len() {
+            self.off += text.len();
+            return self.end();
+        };
+        let tail = &text[start..];
+
         let (ele, off, limit, end) = self
             .ele_buf
             .take()
-            .or_else(|| self.real_next_ele(text))
+            .or_else(|| self.real_next_ele(tail))
             .unwrap_or_else(|| {
-                let len = text.len();
-                let start = text.find(|c| c != '\n').unwrap_or(0);
-                if start == len - 1 {
-                    (self.end(), len, 0, 0)
-                } else {
-                    let mut pos = start;
-                    for off in memchr_iter(b'\n', &text.as_bytes()[start..]) {
-                        if text[pos..off + start].trim().is_empty() {
-                            return (Event::ParagraphBeg, start, pos, off + start);
-                        } else {
-                            pos = off + start;
-                            if let Some(buf) = self.real_next_ele(&text[pos + 1..]) {
-                                self.ele_buf = Some(buf);
-                                return (Event::ParagraphBeg, start, pos, pos);
-                            }
+                let mut pos = 0;
+                for off in memchr_iter(b'\n', tail.as_bytes()) {
+                    if tail.as_bytes()[pos + 1..off]
+                        .iter()
+                        .all(u8::is_ascii_whitespace)
+                    {
+                        return (Event::ParagraphBeg, 0, pos + start, off + start);
+                    } else {
+                        if let Some(buf) = self.real_next_ele(&tail[pos + 1..]) {
+                            self.ele_buf = Some(buf);
+                            return (Event::ParagraphBeg, 0, pos + start, pos + start);
                         }
                     }
-                    (
-                        Event::ParagraphBeg,
-                        start,
-                        if text.ends_with('\n') { len - 1 } else { len },
-                        len,
-                    )
+                    pos = off;
                 }
+                let len = text.len();
+                (
+                    Event::ParagraphBeg,
+                    0,
+                    if text.ends_with('\n') { len - 1 } else { len },
+                    len,
+                )
             });
 
         debug_assert!(off <= text.len() && limit <= text.len() && end <= text.len());
@@ -259,13 +280,15 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
             _ => (),
         }
 
-        self.off += off;
+        self.off += off + start;
 
         ele
     }
 
     // returns (event, offset, container limit, container end)
-    fn real_next_ele(&mut self, text: &'a str) -> Option<(Event<'a>, usize, usize, usize)> {
+    fn real_next_ele(&self, text: &'a str) -> Option<(Event<'a>, usize, usize, usize)> {
+        debug_assert!(!text.starts_with('\n'));
+
         if text.starts_with("[fn:") {
             if let Some((label, cont, off)) = fn_def::parse(text) {
                 return Some((Event::FnDef { label, cont }, off + 1, 0, 0));
@@ -277,8 +300,7 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
             .map(|off| (&text[off..], off))
             .unwrap_or((text, 0));
 
-        let (is_item, ordered) = list::is_item(tail);
-        if is_item {
+        if let Some(ordered) = list::is_item(tail) {
             return Some((Event::ListBeg { ordered }, 0, line_begin, text.len()));
         }
 
@@ -567,7 +589,6 @@ fn parse() {
         }),
         SectionBeg,
         ParagraphBeg,
-        Text("test "),
         BoldBeg,
         Text("Section 1"),
         BoldEnd,
@@ -621,10 +642,14 @@ fn parse() {
 
     assert_eq!(
         Parser::new(
-            r#"#+OPTIONS:    H:3 num:nil toc:t \n:nil ::t |:t ^:t -:t f:t *:t tex:t d:(HIDE) tags:not-in-toc
-
-* Definitions
-"#
+            r#"* Title 1
+*Section 1*
+** Title 2
+_Section 2_
+* Title 3
+/Section 3/
+* Title 4
+=Section 4="#
         )
         .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
         expected