diff --git a/client/lib/posts/post-edit-store.js b/client/lib/posts/post-edit-store.js
index a8c695ea2b67f..7893a80a00161 100644
--- a/client/lib/posts/post-edit-store.js
+++ b/client/lib/posts/post-edit-store.js
@@ -471,7 +471,23 @@ PostEditStore = {
 	},
 
 	isDirty: function() {
-		return _post !== _savedPost || _rawContent !== _initialRawContent;
+		debug(
+			'isDirty post?%s rawContent?%s initial=%s content=%s',
+			_post !== _savedPost,
+			_rawContent !== _initialRawContent,
+			_initialRawContent,
+			_rawContent
+		);
+		if ( _post !== _savedPost ) {
+			return true;
+		}
+		if ( _rawContent !== _initialRawContent ) {
+			return (
+				! isContentEmpty( _rawContent ) ||
+				! isContentEmpty( _initialRawContent )
+			);
+		}
+		return false;
 	},
 
 	isNew: function() {
diff --git a/client/lib/posts/test/post-edit-store.js b/client/lib/posts/test/post-edit-store.js
index 243ce31c24be2..96e3a04baefca 100644
--- a/client/lib/posts/test/post-edit-store.js
+++ b/client/lib/posts/test/post-edit-store.js
@@ -570,6 +570,56 @@ describe( 'post-edit-store', function() {
 
 			assert( PostEditStore.isDirty() );
 		} );
+
+		it( 'returns false if content changes from empty to <p><br></p>', function() {
+			dispatcherCallback( {
+				action: {
+					type: 'RECEIVE_POST_TO_EDIT',
+					post: {}
+				}
+			} );
+
+			dispatcherCallback( {
+				action: {
+					type: 'EDIT_POST_RAW_CONTENT',
+					content: ''
+				}
+			} );
+
+			dispatcherCallback( {
+				action: {
+					type: 'EDIT_POST_RAW_CONTENT',
+					content: '<p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>'
+				}
+			} );
+
+			assert( ! PostEditStore.isDirty() );
+		} );
+
+		it( 'returns false if content changes from <p><br></p> to empty', function() {
+			dispatcherCallback( {
+				action: {
+					type: 'RECEIVE_POST_TO_EDIT',
+					post: {}
+				}
+			} );
+
+			dispatcherCallback( {
+				action: {
+					type: 'EDIT_POST_RAW_CONTENT',
+					content: '<p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>'
+				}
+			} );
+
+			dispatcherCallback( {
+				action: {
+					type: 'EDIT_POST_RAW_CONTENT',
+					content: ''
+				}
+			} );
+
+			assert( ! PostEditStore.isDirty() );
+		} );
 	} );
 
 	describe( '#isSaveBlocked()', function() {