diff --git a/parsers/ShortcodeParser.php b/parsers/ShortcodeParser.php
index 68b78fa91..95c1ae7ad 100644
--- a/parsers/ShortcodeParser.php
+++ b/parsers/ShortcodeParser.php
@@ -537,6 +537,9 @@ class ShortcodeParser extends Object {
 		// If no content, don't try and parse it
 		if (!trim($content)) return $content;
 
+		// If no shortcode tag, don't try and parse it
+		if (strpos($content, '[') === false) return $content;
+
 		// First we operate in text mode, replacing any shortcodes with marker elements so that later we can
 		// use a proper DOM
 		list($content, $tags) = $this->replaceElementTagsWithMarkers($content);
diff --git a/tests/parsers/ShortcodeParserTest.php b/tests/parsers/ShortcodeParserTest.php
index 97b6aae91..f28d5bc27 100644
--- a/tests/parsers/ShortcodeParserTest.php
+++ b/tests/parsers/ShortcodeParserTest.php
@@ -14,7 +14,13 @@ class ShortcodeParserTest extends SapphireTest {
 		
 		parent::setUp();
 	}
-	
+
+	public function tearDown() {
+		ShortcodeParser::get('test')->unregister('test_shortcode');
+
+		parent::tearDown();
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Tests that valid short codes that have not been registered are not replaced.
 	 */
@@ -240,6 +246,8 @@ class ShortcodeParserTest extends SapphireTest {
 			'<script>this is 2</script>',
 			$this->parser->parse('<script>[2]</script>')
 		);
+
+		$this->parser->unregister('2');
 	}
 
 	public function testExtraContext() {
@@ -250,6 +258,18 @@ class ShortcodeParserTest extends SapphireTest {
 		$this->assertEquals($this->extra['element']->tagName, 'a');
 	}
 
+	public function testNoParseAttemptIfNoCode() {
+		$stub = $this->getMock('ShortcodeParser', array('replaceElementTagsWithMarkers'));
+		$stub->register('test', function() {
+			return '';
+		});
+
+		$stub->expects($this->never())
+			->method('replaceElementTagsWithMarkers')->will($this->returnValue(array('', '')));
+
+		$stub->parse('<p>test</p>');
+	}
+
 	// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 	
 	/**