--- src/text.c	(revision 5238)
+++ src/text.c	(working copy)
@@ -501,6 +501,10 @@
 #endif /* !DISABLE_WRAPPING */
     case JOIN:
 	undidmsg = _("line join");
+	
+	if (ISSET(NO_NEWLINES) ||  f->next != openfile->filebot || 
+	openfile->filebot->data[0] != '\0' || u->strdata[0] != '\0')  
+	{	
 	t = make_new_node(f);
 	t->data = mallocstrcpy(NULL, u->strdata);
 	data = mallocstrncpy(NULL, f->data, u->mark_begin_x + 1);
@@ -510,6 +514,7 @@
 	splice_node(f, t, f->next);
 	if (f == openfile->filebot)
 	    openfile->filebot = t;
+	}
 	goto_line_posx(u->lineno, u->begin);
 	break;
     case CUT_EOF: