diff --git a/collects/scribble/markdown-render.rkt b/collects/scribble/markdown-render.rkt
index eaa55725..5fdb8c63 100644
--- a/collects/scribble/markdown-render.rkt
+++ b/collects/scribble/markdown-render.rkt
@@ -176,14 +176,13 @@
                     (if (target-url? p) p #f)))
       (define url (and targ (target-url-addr targ)))
       (begin0
-          (cond [url
-                 (define new-i
-                   (match (element-content i)
-                     [(list (? string? s))
-                      (element (element-style i)
-                               (list (format "[~a](~a)" s url)))]
-                     [else i]))
-                 (super render-content new-i part ri)]
+          (cond [url (define new-i
+                       (match (element-content i)
+                         [(list (? string? s))
+                          (element (element-style i)
+                            (list (format "[~a](~a)" s url)))]
+                         [else i]))
+                     (super render-content new-i part ri)]
                 [(and (element? i)
                       (let ([s (element-style i)])
                         (or (eq? 'hspace s)
@@ -191,8 +190,15 @@
                                  (eq? 'hspace (style-name s))))))
                  (parameterize ([current-preserve-spaces #t])
                    (super render-content i part ri))]
-                [else
-                 (super render-content i part ri)])
+                [else (define style (and (element? i) (element-style i)))
+                      (define bold?   (eq? style 'bold))
+                      (define italic? (eq? style 'italic))
+                      (cond [bold?   (display "**")]
+                            [italic? (display "_")])
+                      (begin0
+                          (super render-content i part ri)
+                        (cond [bold?   (display "**")]
+                              [italic? (display "_")]))])
         (when tick?
           (phrase-ticks-depth (sub1 (phrase-ticks-depth)))
           (when (zero? (phrase-ticks-depth))
diff --git a/collects/tests/scribble/markdown-docs/example.md b/collects/tests/scribble/markdown-docs/example.md
index b08a7a23..2330735b 100644
--- a/collects/tests/scribble/markdown-docs/example.md
+++ b/collects/tests/scribble/markdown-docs/example.md
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@
 
 [I am a hyperlink to Racket.](http://www.racket-lang.org/)
 
-Italic. \_Just underlines\_.
+_Italic_. \_Just underlines\_.
 
-Bold. \*Just asterisks.\*
+**Bold**. \*Just asterisks.\*
 
 “Dobule quoted”. ‘Single quoted’.