diff --git a/buildTree.js b/buildTree.js
index 1c99c9b..92d631e 100644
--- a/buildTree.js
+++ b/buildTree.js
@@ -535,7 +535,9 @@ var buildTree = function(tree) {
     topStrut.style.height = span.height + "em";
     bottomStrut.style.height = (span.height + span.depth) + "em";
 
-    var katexNode = makeSpan(["katex"], [topStrut, bottomStrut, span]);
+    var katexNode = makeSpan(["katex"], [
+        makeSpan(["katex-inner"], [topStrut, bottomStrut, span])
+    ]);
 
     return katexNode.toDOM();
 };
diff --git a/static/katex.less b/static/katex.less
index 9cf742a..2609801 100644
--- a/static/katex.less
+++ b/static/katex.less
@@ -6,11 +6,17 @@ big parens
 */
 
 .katex {
-    display: inline-block;
     font: normal 1.21em katex_main;
     line-height: 1.2;
     white-space: nowrap;
 
+    .katex-inner {
+        // Making .katex inline-block allows line breaks before and after,
+        // which is undesireable ("to $x$,"). Instead, adjust the .katex-inner
+        // style and put nowrap on the inline .katex element.
+        display: inline-block;
+    }
+
     .base {
         display: inline-block;
     }