diff --git a/src/html.rs b/src/html.rs
index b759711c..0d633c6b 100644
--- a/src/html.rs
+++ b/src/html.rs
@@ -663,6 +663,7 @@ impl<'o> HtmlFormatter<'o> {
                     .map(|n| n.data.borrow().value.clone())
                 {
                     Some(NodeValue::List(nl)) => nl.tight,
+                    Some(NodeValue::DescriptionItem(nd)) => nd.tight,
                     _ => false,
                 };
 
diff --git a/src/nodes.rs b/src/nodes.rs
index ec6e549c..85407a7a 100644
--- a/src/nodes.rs
+++ b/src/nodes.rs
@@ -313,6 +313,10 @@ pub struct NodeDescriptionItem {
 
     /// Number of characters between the start of the list marker and the item text (including the list marker(s)).
     pub padding: usize,
+
+    /// Whether the list is [tight](https://github.github.com/gfm/#tight), i.e. whether the
+    /// paragraphs are wrapped in `<p>` tags when formatted as HTML.
+    pub tight: bool,
 }
 
 /// The type of list.
diff --git a/src/parser/mod.rs b/src/parser/mod.rs
index 03b8d5de..d2af15d0 100644
--- a/src/parser/mod.rs
+++ b/src/parser/mod.rs
@@ -1640,7 +1640,7 @@ impl<'a, 'o> Parser<'a, 'o> {
                     scanners::description_item_start(&line[self.first_nonspace..]),
                     &mut matched,
                 )
-                && self.parse_desc_list_details(container)
+                && self.parse_desc_list_details(container, matched)
             {
                 let offset = self.first_nonspace + matched - self.offset;
                 self.advance_offset(line, offset, false);
@@ -1884,14 +1884,15 @@ impl<'a, 'o> Parser<'a, 'o> {
         }
     }
 
-    fn parse_desc_list_details(&mut self, node: &mut &'a AstNode<'a>) -> bool {
+    fn parse_desc_list_details(&mut self, node: &mut &'a AstNode<'a>, matched: usize) -> bool {
         let container = node;
-
+        let mut tight = false;
         let last_child = match container.last_child() {
             Some(lc) => lc,
             None => {
                 // Happens when the detail line is directly after the term,
                 // without a blank line between.
+                tight = true;
                 *container = container.parent().unwrap();
                 container.last_child().unwrap()
             }
@@ -1941,7 +1942,8 @@ impl<'a, 'o> Parser<'a, 'o> {
 
             let metadata = NodeDescriptionItem {
                 marker_offset: self.indent,
-                padding: 2,
+                padding: matched,
+                tight,
             };
 
             let item = self.add_child(
@@ -1961,11 +1963,15 @@ impl<'a, 'o> Parser<'a, 'o> {
             true
         } else if node_matches!(last_child, NodeValue::DescriptionItem(..)) {
             let parent = last_child.parent().unwrap();
-            reopen_ast_nodes(parent);
+            let tight = match last_child.data.borrow().value {
+                NodeValue::DescriptionItem(ref ncb) => ncb.tight,
+                _ => false,
+            };
 
             let metadata = NodeDescriptionItem {
                 marker_offset: self.indent,
-                padding: 2,
+                padding: matched,
+                tight,
             };
 
             let item = self.add_child(
diff --git a/src/tests/description_lists.rs b/src/tests/description_lists.rs
index 13f11e9f..f555e5cb 100644
--- a/src/tests/description_lists.rs
+++ b/src/tests/description_lists.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use super::*;
 
 #[test]
-fn description_lists() {
+fn description_lists_loose() {
     html_opts!(
         [extension.description_lists],
         concat!(
diff --git a/src/tests/fixtures/description_lists.md b/src/tests/fixtures/description_lists.md
index a9ca0fc4..5f689014 100644
--- a/src/tests/fixtures/description_lists.md
+++ b/src/tests/fixtures/description_lists.md
@@ -11,9 +11,8 @@ with `:` (after 0-2 spaces); subsequent lines must
 be indented unless they are lazy paragraph
 continuations.
 
-There is no distinction between a "tight" list or a
-"loose" list. Definitions are always wrapped in `<p>`
-tags.
+The list is tight if there is no blank line between
+the term and the first definition, otherwise loose.
 
 ```````````````````````````````` example
 apple
@@ -24,13 +23,9 @@ orange
 .
 <dl>
 <dt>apple</dt>
-<dd>
-<p>red fruit</p>
-</dd>
+<dd>red fruit</dd>
 <dt>orange</dt>
-<dd>
-<p>orange fruit</p>
-</dd>
+<dd>orange fruit</dd>
 </dl>
 ````````````````````````````````
 
@@ -68,13 +63,9 @@ orange
 .
 <dl>
 <dt>apple</dt>
-<dd>
-<p>red fruit</p>
-</dd>
+<dd>red fruit</dd>
 <dt>orange</dt>
-<dd>
-<p>orange fruit</p>
-</dd>
+<dd>orange fruit</dd>
 </dl>
 ````````````````````````````````
 
@@ -101,8 +92,6 @@ orange
 
 Multiple blocks in a definition:
 
-Note that the column 
-
 ```````````````````````````````` example
 *apple*
 
@@ -161,7 +150,6 @@ term
 ````````````````````````````````
 
 Multiple definitions, tight:
-(always rendered as loose)
 
 ```````````````````````````````` example
 apple
@@ -174,19 +162,11 @@ orange
 .
 <dl>
 <dt>apple</dt>
-<dd>
-<p>red fruit</p>
-</dd>
-<dd>
-<p>computer company</p>
-</dd>
+<dd>red fruit</dd>
+<dd>computer company</dd>
 <dt>orange</dt>
-<dd>
-<p>orange fruit</p>
-</dd>
-<dd>
-<p>telecom company</p>
-</dd>
+<dd>orange fruit</dd>
+<dd>telecom company</dd>
 </dl>
 ````````````````````````````````
 
@@ -271,13 +251,9 @@ orange
 .
 <dl>
 <dt>apple</dt>
-<dd>
-<p>red fruit</p>
-</dd>
+<dd>red fruit</dd>
 <dt>orange</dt>
-<dd>
-<p>orange fruit</p>
-</dd>
+<dd>orange fruit</dd>
 </dl>
 ````````````````````````````````
 
@@ -315,12 +291,8 @@ bim
 <p>Foo</p>
 <dl>
 <dt>bar</dt>
-<dd>
-<p>baz</p>
-</dd>
+<dd>baz</dd>
 <dt>bim</dt>
-<dd>
-<p>bor</p>
-</dd>
+<dd>bor</dd>
 </dl>
 ````````````````````````````````