diff --git a/dpaste/highlight.py b/dpaste/highlight.py
index 59ba8f8..f0d247d 100644
--- a/dpaste/highlight.py
+++ b/dpaste/highlight.py
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def pygmentize(code_string, lexer_name=LEXER_DEFAULT):
     # Plain code is not highlighted, but we wrap with with regular
     # Pygments syntax to keep the frontend aligned.
     if lexer_name == PLAIN_CODE:
-        return '\n'.join(['<span class="plain">{}</span>'.format(escape(l))
+        return '\n'.join(['<span class="plain">{}</span>'.format(escape(l) or '&#8203;')
             for l in code_string.splitlines()])
 
     # Everything else is handled by Pygments.
diff --git a/dpaste/templates/dpaste/highlight/code.html b/dpaste/templates/dpaste/highlight/code.html
index ae45cff..569a2e3 100644
--- a/dpaste/templates/dpaste/highlight/code.html
+++ b/dpaste/templates/dpaste/highlight/code.html
@@ -1 +1 @@
-<ol>{% for line in snippet.highlight_lines %}<li id="l{{ forloop.counter }}">{{ line|safe|default:"&nbsp;" }}</li>{% endfor %}</ol>
+<ol>{% for line in snippet.highlight_lines %}<li id="l{{ forloop.counter }}">{{ line|safe|default:"&#8203;" }}</li>{% endfor %}</ol>