diff --git a/modules/intermediate_format/preprocessing.xqm b/modules/intermediate_format/preprocessing.xqm
index f9ddaf00b9e41e2f2f9df47bd9eb737caf49fd5a..1c7d9fe8044c86e27524a94f48dc554579089a4b 100644
--- a/modules/intermediate_format/preprocessing.xqm
+++ b/modules/intermediate_format/preprocessing.xqm
@@ -211,9 +211,9 @@ declare function pre:preprocessing
                         )
                         
                         else if ( 
-                            ( $preceding-sibling[self::text()][matches(., "[\s\n\r\t]") and normalize-space(.) = ""] )
+                            ( $preceding-sibling[matches(., "[\s\n\r\t]") and normalize-space(.) = ""] )
                             and
-                            ( $following-sibling[self::text()][matches(., "[\s\n\r\t]") and normalize-space(.) = ""] )
+                            ( $following-sibling[matches(., "[\s\n\r\t]") and normalize-space(.) = ""] )
                         ) then (
                             attribute {"break"}{"yes"}
                         )
@@ -261,4 +261,4 @@ declare function pre:preprocessing
             default return ( 
                 pre:default-element( $node, pre:preprocessing($node/node()) )
             )
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};