diff --git a/src/node.h b/src/node.h
index 3d9ddcf54..9759e98f0 100644
--- a/src/node.h
+++ b/src/node.h
@@ -86,6 +86,22 @@ struct cmark_node {
 
 CMARK_EXPORT int cmark_node_check(cmark_node *node, FILE *out);
 
+static inline bool CMARK_NODE_TYPE_BLOCK_P(cmark_node_type node_type) {
+	return node_type < CMARK_NODE_TEXT;
+}
+
+static inline bool CMARK_NODE_BLOCK_P(cmark_node *node) {
+	return node != NULL && CMARK_NODE_TYPE_BLOCK_P((cmark_node_type) node->type);
+}
+
+static inline bool CMARK_NODE_TYPE_INLINE_P(cmark_node_type node_type) {
+	return node_type >= CMARK_NODE_TEXT;
+}
+
+static inline bool CMARK_NODE_INLINE_P(cmark_node *node) {
+	return node != NULL && CMARK_NODE_TYPE_INLINE_P((cmark_node_type) node->type);
+}
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/render.c b/src/render.c
index 7fc0d9654..0de109ec1 100644
--- a/src/render.c
+++ b/src/render.c
@@ -178,9 +178,11 @@ char *cmark_render(cmark_node *root, int options, int width,
     }
   }
 
-  // ensure final newline
-  if (renderer.buffer->size == 0 || renderer.buffer->ptr[renderer.buffer->size - 1] != '\n') {
-    cmark_strbuf_putc(renderer.buffer, '\n');
+  // If the root node is a block type (i.e. not inline), ensure there's a final newline:
+  if (CMARK_NODE_TYPE_BLOCK_P(root->type)) {
+    if (renderer.buffer->size == 0 || renderer.buffer->ptr[renderer.buffer->size - 1] != '\n') {
+      cmark_strbuf_putc(renderer.buffer, '\n');
+    }
   }
 
   result = (char *)cmark_strbuf_detach(renderer.buffer);