diff --git a/docling/backend/html_backend.py b/docling/backend/html_backend.py
index 9794a8718f..132c4af35e 100644
--- a/docling/backend/html_backend.py
+++ b/docling/backend/html_backend.py
@@ -928,7 +928,11 @@ def convert(self) -> DoclingDocument:
             binary_hash=self.document_hash,
         )
         doc = DoclingDocument(name=self.file.stem or "file", origin=origin)
+        self.convert_into(doc)
+        return doc
 
+    def convert_into(self, doc: DoclingDocument) -> None:
+        """Append the converted content to the body of `doc`."""
         if cast(HTMLBackendOptions, self.options).render_page:
             self._render_with_browser()
             if self._rendered_html:
@@ -1011,7 +1015,6 @@ def convert(self) -> DoclingDocument:
         self.ctx = _Context()
         self._render_visibility_cache.clear()
         self._walk(content, doc)
-        return doc
 
     @staticmethod
     def _is_header_in_cell_or_item(header: Tag) -> bool:
@@ -3333,7 +3336,7 @@ def _get_list_style_marker(li: Tag) -> str:
 
         Docling's HTML export writes the original marker of a list item this way,
         so reading it back keeps markers such as `3.` when the HTML is converted
-        again (the Markdown backend does this for files with HTML blocks).
+        again.
         """
         style = li.get("style")
         if not isinstance(style, str):
diff --git a/docling/backend/md_backend.py b/docling/backend/md_backend.py
index b7c2f03961..bcefeeb0bf 100644
--- a/docling/backend/md_backend.py
+++ b/docling/backend/md_backend.py
@@ -37,11 +37,8 @@
 from docling.backend.abstract_backend import (
     DeclarativeDocumentBackend,
 )
+from docling.backend.html_backend import HTMLDocumentBackend
 from docling.backend.utils.image_resource_loader import ImageResourceLoader
-from docling.backend.utils.markdown_html import (
-    MarkdownHTMLDocumentBackend,
-    serialize_markdown_for_html,
-)
 from docling.datamodel.backend_options import (
     HTMLBackendOptions,
     MarkdownBackendOptions,
@@ -108,10 +105,6 @@ class _GfmStrikethrough(marko.inline.InlineElement):
     "Install it with `pip install 'docling-slim[format-markdown]'`."
 )
 
-_MARKER_BODY = "DOCLING_DOC_MD_HTML_EXPORT"
-_START_MARKER = f"#_#_{_MARKER_BODY}_START_#_#"
-_STOP_MARKER = f"#_#_{_MARKER_BODY}_STOP_#_#"
-
 
 class _PendingCreationType(str, Enum):
     """CoordOrigin."""
@@ -268,7 +261,6 @@ def __init__(
 
         self._pending_hard_line_break = False
         self._pending_soft_line_break = False
-        self._html_blocks: int = 0
         self._image_loader: ImageResourceLoader | None = None
 
         # A leading BOM is dropped. Kept, it prefixes the first line, so a
@@ -998,21 +990,9 @@ def _iterate_elements(  # noqa: C901
                 self._pending_hard_line_break = True
 
         elif isinstance(element, marko.block.HTMLBlock):
-            self._html_blocks += 1
             _log.debug("HTML Block: %s", element)
-            if (
-                len(element.body) > 0
-            ):  # If Marko doesn't return any content for HTML block, skip it
-                html_block = element.body.strip()
-
-                # wrap in markers to enable post-processing in convert()
-                text_to_add = f"{_START_MARKER}{html_block}{_STOP_MARKER}"
-                doc.add_code(
-                    parent=parent_item,
-                    text=text_to_add,
-                    formatting=formatting,
-                    hyperlink=hyperlink,
-                )
+            if html_block := element.body.strip():
+                self._add_html_block(doc, parent_item, html_block)
 
         elif isinstance(element, _gfm_el.Table):
             _log.debug(" - GFM Table")
@@ -1137,6 +1117,38 @@ def _load_image_ref(self, dest: str) -> ImageRef | None:
             warnings.warn(f"Could not process an image from {dest}: {exc}")
             return None
 
+    def _add_html_block(
+        self, doc: DoclingDocument, parent_item: NodeItem | None, html_block: str
+    ) -> None:
+        """Convert one HTML block with the HTML backend into `parent_item`."""
+        md_options = cast(MarkdownBackendOptions, self.options)
+        html_options = HTMLBackendOptions(
+            enable_local_fetch=md_options.enable_local_fetch,
+            enable_remote_fetch=md_options.enable_remote_fetch,
+            fetch_images=md_options.fetch_images,
+            source_uri=md_options.source_uri,
+            infer_furniture=False,
+            add_title=False,
+        )
+        stream = BytesIO(html_block.encode("utf-8"))
+        in_doc = InputDocument(
+            path_or_stream=stream,
+            format=InputFormat.HTML,
+            backend=HTMLDocumentBackend,
+            filename=self.file.name,
+            backend_options=html_options,
+        )
+        first_new = len(doc.body.children)
+        HTMLDocumentBackend(
+            in_doc=in_doc, path_or_stream=stream, options=html_options
+        ).convert_into(doc)
+        if parent_item is not None:
+            new_refs = doc.body.children[first_new:]
+            del doc.body.children[first_new:]
+            for ref in new_refs:
+                ref.resolve(doc).parent = parent_item.get_ref()
+            parent_item.children.extend(new_refs)
+
     def is_valid(self) -> bool:
         return self.valid
 
@@ -1181,56 +1193,6 @@ def convert(self) -> DoclingDocument:
                 list_item_counter_by_ref={},
                 list_last_item_by_ref={},
             )
-
-            if self._html_blocks > 0:
-                html_backend_cls = MarkdownHTMLDocumentBackend
-                html_payload = serialize_markdown_for_html(
-                    doc, source_hash=self.document_hash
-                )
-                html_str = html_payload.text
-
-                # Restore only the marked HTML blocks. The HTML serializer
-                # escapes code content, so decode each block before parsing it.
-                pattern = (
-                    rf"<pre>\s*<code>\s*{re.escape(_START_MARKER)}"
-                    rf"(.*?){re.escape(_STOP_MARKER)}\s*</code>\s*</pre>"
-                )
-                html_str, count = re.subn(
-                    pattern,
-                    lambda match: unescape(match.group(1)),
-                    html_str,
-                    flags=re.DOTALL,
-                )
-                if count != self._html_blocks:
-                    raise RuntimeError(
-                        "An internal error has occurred during Markdown conversion."
-                    )
-                self._html_blocks = 0
-                # delegate to HTML backend
-                stream = BytesIO(bytes(html_str, encoding="utf-8"))
-                md_options = cast(MarkdownBackendOptions, self.options)
-                html_options = HTMLBackendOptions(
-                    enable_local_fetch=md_options.enable_local_fetch,
-                    enable_remote_fetch=md_options.enable_remote_fetch,
-                    fetch_images=md_options.fetch_images,
-                    source_uri=md_options.source_uri,
-                    infer_furniture=False,
-                    add_title=False,
-                )
-                in_doc = InputDocument(
-                    path_or_stream=stream,
-                    format=InputFormat.HTML,
-                    backend=html_backend_cls,
-                    filename=self.file.name,
-                    backend_options=html_options,
-                )
-                html_backend_obj = html_backend_cls(
-                    in_doc=in_doc,
-                    path_or_stream=stream,
-                    options=html_options,
-                    picture_refs=html_payload.picture_refs,
-                )
-                doc = html_backend_obj.convert()
         else:
             raise RuntimeError(
                 f"Cannot convert md with {self.document_hash} because the backend failed to init."
diff --git a/docling/backend/utils/markdown_html.py b/docling/backend/utils/markdown_html.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 9e41e2b3bf..0000000000
--- a/docling/backend/utils/markdown_html.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,101 +0,0 @@
-# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: The Docling Contributors
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
-
-"""Keep Markdown pictures through the internal HTML round trip."""
-
-import html
-from dataclasses import dataclass
-from io import BytesIO
-from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Any
-
-from docling_core.transforms.serializer.base import (
-    BaseDocSerializer,
-    SerializationResult,
-)
-from docling_core.transforms.serializer.common import create_ser_result
-from docling_core.transforms.serializer.html import (
-    HTMLDocSerializer,
-    HTMLParams,
-    HTMLPictureSerializer,
-)
-from docling_core.types.doc import DoclingDocument, ImageRef, PictureItem
-from docling_core.types.doc.common.constants import DOCUMENT_TOKENS_EXPORT_LABELS
-from docling_core.types.doc.common.content_layer import DEFAULT_CONTENT_LAYERS
-from typing_extensions import override
-
-from docling.backend.html_backend import HTMLDocumentBackend
-from docling.datamodel.backend_options import HTMLBackendOptions
-from docling.datamodel.document import InputDocument
-
-
-@dataclass(frozen=True)
-class MarkdownHTMLPayload:
-    text: str
-    picture_refs: dict[str, ImageRef | None]
-
-
-class _MarkdownPictureSerializer(HTMLPictureSerializer):
-    def __init__(self, reference_prefix: str) -> None:
-        self._reference_prefix = reference_prefix
-
-    @override
-    def serialize(
-        self,
-        *,
-        item: PictureItem,
-        doc_serializer: BaseDocSerializer,
-        doc: DoclingDocument,
-        **kwargs: Any,
-    ) -> SerializationResult:
-        # The HTML backend must see an img even when fetching was disabled or
-        # failed. Its source is a document-local key, not a new fetch request.
-        reference = html.escape(self._reference_prefix + item.self_ref, quote=True)
-        parts = [
-            doc_serializer.serialize_captions(item=item, tag="figcaption", **kwargs),
-            create_ser_result(text=f'<img src="{reference}">', span_source=item),
-        ]
-        text = "".join(part.text for part in parts)
-        return create_ser_result(text=f"<figure>{text}</figure>", span_source=parts)
-
-
-class MarkdownHTMLDocumentBackend(HTMLDocumentBackend):
-    def __init__(
-        self,
-        in_doc: InputDocument,
-        *,
-        path_or_stream: BytesIO | Path,
-        options: HTMLBackendOptions | None,
-        picture_refs: dict[str, ImageRef | None] | None = None,
-    ) -> None:
-        # InputDocument constructs a backend to inspect it before conversion;
-        # that instance does not yet need the already parsed Markdown pictures.
-        super().__init__(in_doc=in_doc, path_or_stream=path_or_stream, options=options)
-        self._picture_refs = picture_refs if picture_refs is not None else {}
-
-    @override
-    def _create_image_ref(self, src_url: str) -> ImageRef | None:
-        if src_url in self._picture_refs:
-            return self._picture_refs[src_url]
-        # Images in the original HTML retain the normal loader and its guards.
-        return super()._create_image_ref(src_url)
-
-
-def serialize_markdown_for_html(
-    doc: DoclingDocument, *, source_hash: str
-) -> MarkdownHTMLPayload:
-    # Include the source hash so original HTML cannot collide with a reference
-    # merely by using the same picture index. The namespace is deterministic.
-    prefix = f"data:application/x-docling-md-picture,{source_hash}/"
-    picture_refs = {
-        prefix + picture.self_ref: picture.image for picture in doc.pictures
-    }
-    serializer = HTMLDocSerializer(
-        doc=doc,
-        params=HTMLParams(
-            labels=DOCUMENT_TOKENS_EXPORT_LABELS,
-            layers=DEFAULT_CONTENT_LAYERS,
-        ),
-        picture_serializer=_MarkdownPictureSerializer(prefix),
-    )
-    return MarkdownHTMLPayload(serializer.serialize().text, picture_refs)
diff --git a/tests/data/md/groundtruth/escaped_characters.md.json b/tests/data/md/groundtruth/escaped_characters.md.json
index 826912662f..7d59b0633f 100644
--- a/tests/data/md/groundtruth/escaped_characters.md.json
+++ b/tests/data/md/groundtruth/escaped_characters.md.json
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
   "version": "1.10.0",
   "name": "escaped_characters",
   "origin": {
-    "mimetype": "text/html",
-    "binary_hash": 3824621944112159534,
+    "mimetype": "text/markdown",
+    "binary_hash": 14089559831613693230,
     "filename": "escaped_characters.md"
   },
   "furniture": {
@@ -20,20 +20,53 @@
       {
         "$ref": "#/texts/0"
       },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/texts/1"
+      },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/texts/2"
+      },
       {
         "$ref": "#/texts/3"
       },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/groups/0"
+      },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/groups/1"
+      },
       {
         "$ref": "#/texts/6"
       },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/texts/7"
+      },
       {
         "$ref": "#/texts/8"
       },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/texts/9"
+      },
       {
         "$ref": "#/texts/10"
       },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/tables/0"
+      },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/groups/2"
+      },
       {
         "$ref": "#/texts/14"
+      },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/texts/15"
+      },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/texts/16"
+      },
+      {
+        "$ref": "#/texts/17"
       }
     ],
     "content_layer": "body",
@@ -44,7 +77,7 @@
     {
       "self_ref": "#/groups/0",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/3"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
       "children": [
         {
@@ -52,13 +85,13 @@
         }
       ],
       "content_layer": "body",
-      "name": "ordered list",
+      "name": "list",
       "label": "list"
     },
     {
       "self_ref": "#/groups/1",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/3"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
       "children": [
         {
@@ -72,7 +105,7 @@
     {
       "self_ref": "#/groups/2",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/10"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
       "children": [
         {
@@ -96,11 +129,7 @@
       "parent": {
         "$ref": "#/body"
       },
-      "children": [
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/texts/1"
-        }
-      ],
+      "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
       "label": "title",
       "prov": [],
@@ -110,13 +139,9 @@
     {
       "self_ref": "#/texts/1",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/0"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
-      "children": [
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/texts/2"
-        }
-      ],
+      "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
       "label": "section_header",
       "prov": [],
@@ -127,7 +152,7 @@
     {
       "self_ref": "#/texts/2",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/1"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
       "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
@@ -141,14 +166,7 @@
       "parent": {
         "$ref": "#/body"
       },
-      "children": [
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/groups/0"
-        },
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/groups/1"
-        }
-      ],
+      "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
       "label": "title",
       "prov": [],
@@ -188,11 +206,7 @@
       "parent": {
         "$ref": "#/body"
       },
-      "children": [
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/texts/7"
-        }
-      ],
+      "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
       "label": "title",
       "prov": [],
@@ -202,7 +216,7 @@
     {
       "self_ref": "#/texts/7",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/6"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
       "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
@@ -220,11 +234,7 @@
       "parent": {
         "$ref": "#/body"
       },
-      "children": [
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/texts/9"
-        }
-      ],
+      "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
       "label": "title",
       "prov": [],
@@ -234,7 +244,7 @@
     {
       "self_ref": "#/texts/9",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/8"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
       "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
@@ -252,14 +262,7 @@
       "parent": {
         "$ref": "#/body"
       },
-      "children": [
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/tables/0"
-        },
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/groups/2"
-        }
-      ],
+      "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
       "label": "title",
       "prov": [],
@@ -311,14 +314,7 @@
       "parent": {
         "$ref": "#/body"
       },
-      "children": [
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/texts/15"
-        },
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/texts/16"
-        }
-      ],
+      "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
       "label": "title",
       "prov": [],
@@ -328,7 +324,7 @@
     {
       "self_ref": "#/texts/15",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/14"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
       "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
@@ -340,13 +336,9 @@
     {
       "self_ref": "#/texts/16",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/14"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
-      "children": [
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/texts/17"
-        }
-      ],
+      "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
       "label": "section_header",
       "prov": [],
@@ -357,7 +349,7 @@
     {
       "self_ref": "#/texts/17",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/16"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
       "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
@@ -373,7 +365,7 @@
     {
       "self_ref": "#/tables/0",
       "parent": {
-        "$ref": "#/texts/10"
+        "$ref": "#/body"
       },
       "children": [],
       "content_layer": "body",
diff --git a/tests/data/md/groundtruth/mixed_without_h1.md.yaml b/tests/data/md/groundtruth/mixed_without_h1.md.yaml
index b3037f9d61..79f4c612a8 100644
--- a/tests/data/md/groundtruth/mixed_without_h1.md.yaml
+++ b/tests/data/md/groundtruth/mixed_without_h1.md.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 body:
   children:
   - $ref: '#/texts/0'
+  - $ref: '#/texts/1'
   - $ref: '#/groups/0'
+  - $ref: '#/texts/9'
   content_layer: body
   label: unspecified
   name: _root_
@@ -14,14 +16,6 @@ furniture:
   name: _root_
   self_ref: '#/furniture'
 groups:
-- children:
-  - $ref: '#/texts/1'
-  content_layer: body
-  label: section
-  name: header-1
-  parent:
-    $ref: '#/body'
-  self_ref: '#/groups/0'
 - children:
   - $ref: '#/texts/2'
   - $ref: '#/texts/4'
@@ -30,8 +24,8 @@ groups:
   label: list
   name: list
   parent:
-    $ref: '#/texts/1'
-  self_ref: '#/groups/1'
+    $ref: '#/body'
+  self_ref: '#/groups/0'
 - children:
   - $ref: '#/texts/3'
   content_layer: body
@@ -39,13 +33,23 @@ groups:
   name: list
   parent:
     $ref: '#/texts/2'
+  self_ref: '#/groups/1'
+- children:
+  - $ref: '#/texts/6'
+  - $ref: '#/texts/7'
+  - $ref: '#/texts/8'
+  content_layer: body
+  label: inline
+  name: group
+  parent:
+    $ref: '#/texts/5'
   self_ref: '#/groups/2'
 key_value_items: []
 name: mixed_without_h1
 origin:
-  binary_hash: 11100987453172996924
+  binary_hash: 407652015547384603
   filename: mixed_without_h1.md
-  mimetype: text/html
+  mimetype: text/markdown
 pages: {}
 pictures: []
 schema_name: DoclingDocument
@@ -60,27 +64,25 @@ texts:
   prov: []
   self_ref: '#/texts/0'
   text: Content before first heading
-- children:
-  - $ref: '#/groups/1'
-  - $ref: '#/texts/6'
+- children: []
   content_layer: body
   label: section_header
   level: 1
   orig: Some heading
   parent:
-    $ref: '#/groups/0'
+    $ref: '#/body'
   prov: []
   self_ref: '#/texts/1'
   text: Some heading
 - children:
-  - $ref: '#/groups/2'
+  - $ref: '#/groups/1'
   content_layer: body
   enumerated: false
   label: list_item
   marker: ''
   orig: A. first
   parent:
-    $ref: '#/groups/1'
+    $ref: '#/groups/0'
   prov: []
   self_ref: '#/texts/2'
   text: A. first
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ texts:
   marker: ''
   orig: subitem
   parent:
-    $ref: '#/groups/2'
+    $ref: '#/groups/1'
   prov: []
   self_ref: '#/texts/3'
   text: subitem
@@ -102,28 +104,56 @@ texts:
   marker: ''
   orig: B. second
   parent:
-    $ref: '#/groups/1'
+    $ref: '#/groups/0'
   prov: []
   self_ref: '#/texts/4'
   text: B. second
-- children: []
+- children:
+  - $ref: '#/groups/2'
   content_layer: body
   enumerated: false
   label: list_item
   marker: ''
-  orig: 2 . strange
+  orig: ''
   parent:
-    $ref: '#/groups/1'
+    $ref: '#/groups/0'
   prov: []
   self_ref: '#/texts/5'
-  text: 2 . strange
+  text: ''
 - children: []
   content_layer: body
   label: text
-  orig: The end!
+  orig: '2'
   parent:
-    $ref: '#/texts/1'
+    $ref: '#/groups/2'
   prov: []
   self_ref: '#/texts/6'
+  text: '2'
+- children: []
+  content_layer: body
+  label: text
+  orig: .
+  parent:
+    $ref: '#/groups/2'
+  prov: []
+  self_ref: '#/texts/7'
+  text: .
+- children: []
+  content_layer: body
+  label: text
+  orig: strange
+  parent:
+    $ref: '#/groups/2'
+  prov: []
+  self_ref: '#/texts/8'
+  text: strange
+- children: []
+  content_layer: body
+  label: text
+  orig: The end!
+  parent:
+    $ref: '#/body'
+  prov: []
+  self_ref: '#/texts/9'
   text: The end!
 version: 1.10.0
diff --git a/tests/data/md/groundtruth/signature_stamp_01.md.json b/tests/data/md/groundtruth/signature_stamp_01.md.json
index 513db072c3..24a6aea4e3 100644
--- a/tests/data/md/groundtruth/signature_stamp_01.md.json
+++ b/tests/data/md/groundtruth/signature_stamp_01.md.json
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
   "version": "1.10.0",
   "name": "signature_stamp_01",
   "origin": {
-    "mimetype": "text/html",
-    "binary_hash": 3703610756227907514,
+    "mimetype": "text/markdown",
+    "binary_hash": 5357081687404952837,
     "filename": "signature_stamp_01.md"
   },
   "furniture": {
diff --git a/tests/test_backend_markdown.py b/tests/test_backend_markdown.py
index f766e58833..37835335ab 100644
--- a/tests/test_backend_markdown.py
+++ b/tests/test_backend_markdown.py
@@ -1052,10 +1052,7 @@ def test_ordered_list_split_by_prose_preserves_numbers():
 
 
 def test_ordered_list_numbers_survive_html_block():
-    """A Markdown file with an HTML block is converted again through HTML.
-
-    The list numbers must survive that round trip, like in a file without HTML.
-    """
+    """The list numbers are the same as in a file without HTML blocks."""
     markdown = "5. foo\n6. bar\n\nRestart the shell.\n\n7. baz\n\n<div>note</div>\n"
     conv_result = get_converter().convert_string(markdown, format=InputFormat.MD)
     assert conv_result.status == ConversionStatus.SUCCESS
diff --git a/tests/test_backend_markdown_html_blocks.py b/tests/test_backend_markdown_html_blocks.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..556a3acd21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_backend_markdown_html_blocks.py
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: The Docling Contributors
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+import pytest
+from docling_core.types.doc import CodeItem, DoclingDocument, GroupItem, RichTableCell
+
+from docling.datamodel.backend_options import MarkdownBackendOptions
+from tests.test_backend_markdown import _convert_markdown, _png_data_uri
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.cross_platform
+
+
+_HTML_BLOCK_BODY = """\
+```cpp
+#include <stdio.h>
+Dict<str> d;
+printf("<div>");
+```
+
+```bash
+conda create -n <CONDA_NAME>
+conda activate <CONDA_NAME>
+```
+
+Use `<T>` here.
+
+| a | b |
+|---|---|
+| x<y> | 2 |
+
+See [one](https://a.example) and **bold**
+See [two](https://b.example) and *italic*
+
+5. first
+6. second
+"""
+
+
+def _items(doc: DoclingDocument) -> list[tuple[str, str]]:
+    return [(str(t.label), t.text) for t in doc.texts]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("before", "after"),
+    [
+        ("", ""),
+        ("<!-- c -->\n\n", ""),
+        ("", "\n<!-- c -->\n"),
+        ("<!-- c -->\n\n", "\n<!-- c -->\n\n<br>\n"),
+    ],
+    ids=["no_html_block", "leading", "trailing", "both"],
+)
+def test_html_comment_does_not_change_surrounding_content(before: str, after: str):
+    """An HTML block leaves the Markdown content around it unchanged."""
+    options = MarkdownBackendOptions()
+    expected = _convert_markdown(_HTML_BLOCK_BODY, options)
+    doc = _convert_markdown(f"{before}{_HTML_BLOCK_BODY}{after}", options)
+
+    codes = [t.text for t in doc.texts if isinstance(t, CodeItem)]
+    assert codes == [
+        '#include <stdio.h>\nDict<str> d;\nprintf("<div>");',
+        "conda create -n <CONDA_NAME>\nconda activate <CONDA_NAME>",
+        "<T>",
+    ]
+    assert [c.text for c in doc.tables[0].data.table_cells] == ["a", "b", "x<y>", "2"]
+    assert [t.marker for t in doc.texts if t.label == "list_item"] == ["5.", "6."]
+    assert _items(doc) == _items(expected)
+    assert doc.export_to_markdown() == expected.export_to_markdown()
+
+
+def test_adjacent_paragraphs_stay_separate_around_html_block():
+    markdown = (
+        "<!-- c -->\n\n"
+        "See [one](https://a.example) and **bold**\n\n"
+        "See [two](https://b.example)\n"
+    )
+    doc = _convert_markdown(markdown, MarkdownBackendOptions())
+
+    assert [
+        [child.resolve(doc).text for child in group.children] for group in doc.groups
+    ] == [["See", "one", "and", "bold"], ["See", "two"]]
+
+
+def test_markdown_picture_survives_html_block():
+    markdown = f"<!-- c -->\n\n![alt]({_png_data_uri(7, 5)})\n"
+    doc = _convert_markdown(markdown, MarkdownBackendOptions(fetch_images=True))
+
+    assert len(doc.pictures) == 1
+    image = doc.pictures[0].get_image(doc)
+    assert image is not None
+    assert image.size == (7, 5)
+
+
+def test_html_block_content_is_converted():
+    markdown = (
+        "# Title\n\n"
+        "Intro `<T>`\n\n"
+        "<h2>Section</h2>\n\n"
+        "<table><tr><th>H1</th><th>H2</th></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>2</td></tr></table>\n\n"
+        "<details><summary>More</summary>detail</details>\n\n"
+        f'<p><img src="{_png_data_uri(3, 2)}" alt="logo"></p>\n\n'
+        "<div>open <b>tag\n\n"
+        "after\n"
+    )
+    doc = _convert_markdown(markdown, MarkdownBackendOptions(fetch_images=True))
+
+    assert [(str(t.label), t.text) for t in doc.texts] == [
+        ("title", "Title"),
+        ("text", "Intro"),
+        ("code", "<T>"),
+        ("section_header", "Section"),
+        ("text", "More"),
+        ("text", "detail"),
+        ("caption", "logo"),
+        ("text", "open"),
+        ("text", "tag"),
+        ("text", "after"),
+    ]
+    assert [[c.text for c in row] for row in doc.tables[0].data.grid] == [
+        ["H1", "H2"],
+        ["1", "2"],
+    ]
+    assert len(doc.pictures) == 1
+    assert doc.pictures[0].image is not None
+
+
+def test_html_block_inside_list_item():
+    markdown = "- a\n  <div>block</div>\n- b\n\n  <!-- c -->\n- `<T>`\n"
+    doc = _convert_markdown(markdown, MarkdownBackendOptions())
+
+    assert _items(doc) == [
+        ("list_item", "a"),
+        ("text", "block"),
+        ("list_item", "b"),
+        ("list_item", "<T>"),
+    ]
+    assert len(doc.groups) == 1
+    assert doc.groups[0].label == "list"
+
+
+def test_html_block_references_stay_valid():
+    """Items an HTML block refers to by reference still resolve after conversion."""
+    markdown = (
+        "first\n\nsecond\n\n"
+        '<figure><img src="a.png"><figcaption>Cap</figcaption></figure>\n\n'
+        "<table><tr><td><p>x</p><p>y</p></td><td>z</td></tr></table>\n"
+    )
+    doc = _convert_markdown(markdown, MarkdownBackendOptions())
+
+    assert doc.validate_tree(doc.body)
+    assert [c.resolve(doc).text for c in doc.pictures[0].captions] == ["Cap"]
+    table = doc.tables[0]
+    rich_cells = [c for c in table.data.table_cells if isinstance(c, RichTableCell)]
+    assert len(rich_cells) == 1
+    cell_group = rich_cells[0].ref.resolve(doc)
+    assert isinstance(cell_group, GroupItem)
+    assert cell_group.parent == table.get_ref()
+    assert [c.resolve(doc).text for c in cell_group.children] == ["x", "y"]