diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Ms.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Ms.hs
index 0c3586aa6..3315548e2 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Ms.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Ms.hs
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ TODO:
     A big advantage of gropdf:  it supports the tag
     \X'pdf: pdfpic file alignment width height line-length'
     and also seems to support bookmarks.
-[ ] avoid blank line after footnote marker when footnote has a
+[x] avoid blank line after footnote marker when footnote has a
     paragraph
 [ ] better smallcaps support, see below...
 [ ] add via groff option to PDF module
@@ -448,7 +448,12 @@ handleNotes opts fallback = do
 
 handleNote :: PandocMonad m => WriterOptions -> Note -> MS m Doc
 handleNote opts bs = do
-  contents <- blockListToMs opts bs
+  -- don't start with Paragraph or we'll get a spurious blank
+  -- line after the note ref:
+  let bs' = case bs of
+                 (Para ils : rest) -> Plain ils : rest
+                 _ -> bs
+  contents <- blockListToMs opts bs'
   return $ cr <> text ".FS" $$ contents $$ text ".FE" <> cr
 
 fontChange :: PandocMonad m => MS m Doc
diff --git a/test/writer.ms b/test/writer.ms
index 63bf359b6..bfcad9344 100644
--- a/test/writer.ms
+++ b/test/writer.ms
@@ -883,7 +883,6 @@ Footnotes
 .LP
 Here is a footnote reference,\**
 .FS
-.LP
 Here is the footnote.
 It can go anywhere after the footnote
 reference.
@@ -891,7 +890,6 @@ It need not be placed at the end of the document.
 .FE
 and another.\**
 .FS
-.LP
 Here's the long note.
 This one contains multiple
 blocks.
@@ -911,7 +909,6 @@ lazy and just indent the first line of each block.
 This should \f[I]not\f[] be a footnote reference, because it
 contains a space.[^my note] Here is an inline note.\**
 .FS
-.LP
 This
 is \f[I]easier\f[] to type.
 Inline notes may contain
@@ -926,14 +923,12 @@ as well as [bracketed text].
 .LP
 Notes can go in quotes.\**
 .FS
-.LP
 In quote.
 .FE
 .RE
 .IP "1." 3
 And in list items.\**
 .FS
-.LP
 In list.
 .FE
 .LP