diff --git a/CHANGELOG.adoc b/CHANGELOG.adoc
index 8bd5ba7a7..fd9c0d14e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.adoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.adoc
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ For a detailed view of what has changed, refer to the {uri-repo}/commits/master[
 * include revremark on title page if specified (#1198)
 * align first block of list item with marker if primary text is blank (#1196)
 * apply correct margin to list item if primary text is blank (#1196)
+* allow page break before and after part and before chapter to be configured by theme (#74)
 * allow page number of PDF to import to be specified using `page` attribute on image macro (#1202)
 * resolve variables in font catalog in theme file
 * if value of scripts attribute is cjk, break lines between any two CJK characters (except punctuation) (#1206)
diff --git a/docs/theming-guide.adoc b/docs/theming-guide.adoc
index 1b130edc8..4f9744285 100644
--- a/docs/theming-guide.adoc
+++ b/docs/theming-guide.adoc
@@ -1425,6 +1425,27 @@ The keys in this category control the style of most headings, including part tit
 |heading:
   margin-bottom: 9.6
 
+|chapter-break-before
+|always {vbar} auto +
+(default: always)
+|heading:
+  chapter:
+    break-before: auto
+
+|part-break-before
+|always {vbar} auto +
+(default: always)
+|heading:
+  part:
+    break-before: auto
+
+|part-break-after
+|always {vbar} auto +
+(default: auto)
+|heading:
+  part:
+    break-after: always
+
 3+|[#key-prefix-heading-level]*Key Prefix:* <<key-prefix-heading-level,heading-h<n>{zwsp}>>^[1]^
 
 |align
diff --git a/lib/asciidoctor-pdf/converter.rb b/lib/asciidoctor-pdf/converter.rb
index b578d093e..3a3739586 100644
--- a/lib/asciidoctor-pdf/converter.rb
+++ b/lib/asciidoctor-pdf/converter.rb
@@ -520,15 +520,20 @@ def convert_section sect, opts = {}
       if sect.part_or_chapter?
         if sect.chapter?
           type = :chapter
-          start_new_chapter sect
+          if @theme.heading_chapter_break_before == 'auto'
+            start_new_chapter sect if @theme.heading_part_break_after == 'always' && sect == sect.parent.sections[0]
+          else
+            start_new_chapter sect
+          end
         else
           type = :part
-          start_new_part sect
+          start_new_part sect unless @theme.heading_part_break_before == 'auto'
         end
-      else
-        # FIXME smarter calculation here!!
-        start_new_page unless at_page_top? || cursor > (height_of title) + (@theme.heading_margin_top || 0) + (@theme.heading_margin_bottom || 0) + (@root_font_size * @theme.base_line_height * 1.5)
       end
+      # FIXME smarter calculation here!!
+      unless cursor > (height_of title) + (@theme.heading_margin_top || 0) + (@theme.heading_margin_bottom || 0) + (@root_font_size * @theme.base_line_height * 1.5)
+        start_new_page
+      end unless at_page_top?
       # QUESTION should we store pdf-page-start, pdf-anchor & pdf-destination in internal map?
       sect.set_attr 'pdf-page-start', (start_pgnum = page_number)
       # QUESTION should we just assign the section this generated id?
diff --git a/spec/section_spec.rb b/spec/section_spec.rb
index 9e7768572..6c857c055 100644
--- a/spec/section_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/section_spec.rb
@@ -245,4 +245,66 @@
     (expect text[2][:string]).to eql 'anonymous preface'
     (expect text[2][:font_size]).to eql 10.5
   end
+
+  it 'should not add break before chapter if break-before key in theme is auto' do
+    pdf = to_pdf <<~'EOS', pdf_theme: { heading_chapter_break_before: 'auto' }, analyze: true
+    = Document Title
+    :doctype: book
+
+    == Chapter A
+
+    == Chapter B
+    EOS
+
+    chapter_a_text = (pdf.find_text 'Chapter A')[0]
+    chapter_b_text = (pdf.find_text 'Chapter B')[0]
+    (expect chapter_a_text[:page_number]).to eql 2
+    (expect chapter_b_text[:page_number]).to eql 2
+  end
+
+  it 'should not add break before part if break-before key in theme is auto' do
+    pdf = to_pdf <<~'EOS', pdf_theme: { heading_part_break_before: 'auto', heading_chapter_break_before: 'auto' }, analyze: true
+    = Document Title
+    :doctype: book
+
+    = Part I
+
+    == Chapter in Part I
+
+    = Part II
+
+    == Chapter in Part II
+    EOS
+
+    part_1_text = (pdf.find_text 'Part I')[0]
+    part_2_text = (pdf.find_text 'Part II')[0]
+    (expect part_1_text[:page_number]).to eql 2
+    (expect part_2_text[:page_number]).to eql 2
+  end
+
+  it 'should add break after part if break-after key in theme is always' do
+    pdf = to_pdf <<~'EOS', pdf_theme: { heading_part_break_after: 'always', heading_chapter_break_before: 'auto' }, analyze: true
+    = Document Title
+    :doctype: book
+
+    = Part I
+
+    == Chapter in Part I
+
+    == Another Chapter in Part I
+
+    = Part II
+
+    == Chapter in Part II
+    EOS
+
+    part_1_text = (pdf.find_text 'Part I')[0]
+    part_2_text = (pdf.find_text 'Part II')[0]
+    chapter_1_text = (pdf.find_text 'Chapter in Part I')[0]
+    chapter_2_text = (pdf.find_text 'Another Chapter in Part I')[0]
+    (expect part_1_text[:page_number]).to eql 2
+    (expect chapter_1_text[:page_number]).to eql 3
+    (expect chapter_2_text[:page_number]).to eql 3
+    (expect part_2_text[:page_number]).to eql 4
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/xref_spec.rb b/spec/xref_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9777e72a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/xref_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+require_relative 'spec_helper'
+
+describe 'Asciidoctor::PDF::Converter - Xref' do
+  context 'Interdocument' do
+    it 'should convert interdocument xrefs to internal references' do
+      input_file = Pathname.new fixture_file 'book.adoc'
+      pdf = to_pdf input_file
+      p2_annotations = get_annotations pdf, 2
+      (expect p2_annotations).to have_size 1
+      chapter_2_ref = p2_annotations[0]
+      (expect chapter_2_ref[:Subtype]).to eql :Link
+      (expect chapter_2_ref[:Dest]).to eql '_chapter_2'
+      p3_annotations = get_annotations pdf, 3
+      first_steps_ref = p3_annotations[0]
+      (expect first_steps_ref[:Subtype]).to eql :Link
+      (expect first_steps_ref[:Dest]).to eql '_first_steps'
+    end
+  end
+end