diff --git a/CHANGELOG.adoc b/CHANGELOG.adoc
index 627466441..2fad10b0f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.adoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.adoc
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ Bug Fixes::
 * decouple tests from path of PWD (#2444)
 * consider inherited styles when analyzing glyphs for fallback font support (#2463)
 * add fallback character for placeholder character when using AFM font (#2453)
+* don't advance image that's first child of block at top of page if image is taller than page (#2012)
 
 == 2.3.9 (2023-06-28) - @mojavelinux
 
diff --git a/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/converter.rb b/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/converter.rb
index dcec4f988..fcc6ffb94 100644
--- a/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/converter.rb
+++ b/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/converter.rb
@@ -1819,7 +1819,7 @@ def convert_image node, opts = {}
               end
               # NOTE: shrink image so it fits within available space; group image & caption
               if (rendered_h = svg_size.output_height) > (available_h = cursor - caption_h)
-                unless pinned || at_page_top?
+                unless pinned || at_page_top? || (node.first_child? && (node.parent.attr? 'pdf-at-top'))
                   advance_page
                   available_h = cursor - caption_h
                 end
@@ -1860,7 +1860,7 @@ def convert_image node, opts = {}
               rendered_w, rendered_h = image_info.calc_image_dimensions width: (width || [available_w, actual_w].min)
               # NOTE: shrink image so it fits within available space; group image & caption
               if rendered_h > (available_h = cursor - caption_h)
-                unless pinned || at_page_top?
+                unless pinned || at_page_top? || (node.first_child? && (node.parent.attr? 'pdf-at-top'))
                   advance_page
                   available_h = cursor - caption_h
                 end
diff --git a/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/ext/asciidoctor/abstract_block.rb b/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/ext/asciidoctor/abstract_block.rb
index daf13c017..fbc175c0e 100644
--- a/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/ext/asciidoctor/abstract_block.rb
+++ b/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/ext/asciidoctor/abstract_block.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ def last_child
     blocks[-1]
   end
 
+  def first_child?
+    self == parent.blocks[0]
+  end
+
   def last_child?
     self == parent.blocks[-1]
   end
diff --git a/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/ext/prawn/extensions.rb b/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/ext/prawn/extensions.rb
index c37c4df4f..efae9414f 100644
--- a/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/ext/prawn/extensions.rb
+++ b/lib/asciidoctor/pdf/ext/prawn/extensions.rb
@@ -990,9 +990,17 @@ def with_dry_run &block
       # start_new_page. Using start_new_page can mangle the calculation of content block's extent.
       #
       def arrange_block node, &block
+        if at_page_top?
+          at_top = ''
+        else
+          at_top = '' if node.first_child? && (node.parent.attr? 'pdf-at-top')
+          keep_together = true if node.option? 'unbreakable'
+        end
+        node.set_attr 'pdf-at-top', at_top if at_top
         keep_together = (node.option? 'unbreakable') && !at_page_top?
         doc = node.document
         block_for_scratch = proc do
+          node.set_attr 'pdf-at-top', (at_top = '') if at_page_top?
           push_scratch doc
           instance_exec(&block)
         ensure
@@ -1000,6 +1008,8 @@ def arrange_block node, &block
         end
         extent = dry_run keep_together: keep_together, onto: [self, keep_together], &block_for_scratch
         scratch? ? block_for_scratch.call : (yield extent)
+      ensure
+        node.remove_attr 'pdf-at-top' if at_top
       end
 
       # This method installs an on_page_create_callback that stops processing if the first page is
diff --git a/spec/arrange_block_spec.rb b/spec/arrange_block_spec.rb
index bde3cb09d..487dac47b 100644
--- a/spec/arrange_block_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/arrange_block_spec.rb
@@ -929,8 +929,7 @@ def content
         (expect image[:y]).to eql 742.0
       end
 
-      # NOTE: this scenario renders an example block that starts with an empty page
-      it 'should split block across pages that contains image taller than page at start of block', negative: true do
+      it 'should split block across pages that contains image taller than page at start of block' do
         input = <<~'END'
         ====
         image::tall-spacer.png[]
@@ -939,18 +938,16 @@ def content
         pdf = to_pdf input, pdf_theme: pdf_theme, analyze: true
         images = (to_pdf input, pdf_theme: pdf_theme, analyze: :image).images
         pages = pdf.pages
-        (expect pages).to have_size 2
+        (expect pages).to have_size 1
         page_width, page_height = (get_page_size pdf, 1).map(&:to_f)
         page_margin = pdf_theme[:page_margin].to_f
         (expect images).to have_size 1
         image = images[0]
-        (expect image[:page_number]).to be 2
-        (expect image[:y]).to eql (page_height - page_margin)
-        (expect image[:height]).to eql (page_height - page_margin * 2)
+        (expect image[:page_number]).to be 1
+        (expect image[:y]).to eql (page_height - page_margin - 12)
+        (expect image[:height]).to eql (page_height - 12 - page_margin * 2)
         p1_gs = (pdf.extract_graphic_states pages[0][:raw_content])[0]
         (expect p1_gs).to have_background color: 'FFFFCC', top_left: [page_margin, page_height - page_margin], bottom_right: [page_width - page_margin, page_margin]
-        p2_gs = (pdf.extract_graphic_states pages[1][:raw_content])[0]
-        (expect p2_gs).to have_background color: 'FFFFCC', top_left: [page_margin, page_height - page_margin], bottom_right: [page_width - page_margin, page_margin]
       end
 
       it 'should split block across pages that contains image taller than page that follows text' do
@@ -1350,8 +1347,7 @@ def content
         (expect image[:y]).to eql 711.009
       end
 
-      # NOTE: this scenario renders an example block that starts with an empty page
-      it 'should split block across pages that contains image taller than page at start of block', negative: true do
+      it 'should split block across pages that contains image taller than page at start of block' do
         input = <<~'END'
         before block
 
@@ -1362,19 +1358,17 @@ def content
         pdf = to_pdf input, pdf_theme: pdf_theme, analyze: true
         images = (to_pdf input, pdf_theme: pdf_theme, analyze: :image).images
         pages = pdf.pages
-        (expect pages).to have_size 3
+        (expect pages).to have_size 2
         page_width, page_height = (get_page_size pdf, 1).map(&:to_f)
         page_margin = pdf_theme[:page_margin].to_f
         (expect images).to have_size 1
         image = images[0]
-        (expect image[:page_number]).to be 3
-        (expect image[:y]).to eql (page_height - page_margin)
-        (expect image[:height]).to eql (page_height - page_margin * 2)
+        (expect image[:page_number]).to be 2
+        (expect image[:y]).to eql (page_height - page_margin - 12)
+        (expect image[:height]).to eql (page_height - 12 - page_margin * 2)
         (expect (pdf.extract_graphic_states pages[0][:raw_content])).to be_empty
         p2_gs = (pdf.extract_graphic_states pages[1][:raw_content])[0]
         (expect p2_gs).to have_background color: 'FFFFCC', top_left: [page_margin, page_height - page_margin], bottom_right: [page_width - page_margin, page_margin]
-        p3_gs = (pdf.extract_graphic_states pages[2][:raw_content])[0]
-        (expect p3_gs).to have_background color: 'FFFFCC', top_left: [page_margin, page_height - page_margin], bottom_right: [page_width - page_margin, page_margin]
       end
 
       # FIXME: this fails when block is unbreakable