diff --git a/lib/ex_doc/formatter/html/templates.ex b/lib/ex_doc/formatter/html/templates.ex
index 55b30a2ae..357d4623b 100644
--- a/lib/ex_doc/formatter/html/templates.ex
+++ b/lib/ex_doc/formatter/html/templates.ex
@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ defmodule ExDoc.Formatter.HTML.Templates do
 
   def synopsis(doc) when is_binary(doc) do
     doc =
-      case :binary.split(doc, "</p>") do
-        [left, _] -> String.trim_trailing(left, ":") <> "</p>"
-        [all] -> all
+      Regex.run(~r|<p>((?:(?!</p>).)*?):*</p>|, doc)
+      |> case do
+        nil -> doc
+        [_, first_paragraph_text] -> "<p>" <> first_paragraph_text <> "</p>"
       end
 
     # Remove any anchors found in synopsis.
diff --git a/test/ex_doc/formatter/html/templates_test.exs b/test/ex_doc/formatter/html/templates_test.exs
index ae4dbbba1..4ec59f0a5 100644
--- a/test/ex_doc/formatter/html/templates_test.exs
+++ b/test/ex_doc/formatter/html/templates_test.exs
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ defmodule ExDoc.Formatter.HTML.TemplatesTest do
       assert Templates.synopsis("<p>::</p>") == "<p></p>"
       assert Templates.synopsis("<p>Description:</p>") == "<p>Description</p>"
       assert Templates.synopsis("<p>abcd</p>") == "<p>abcd</p>"
+      assert Templates.synopsis("<p>abc</p><p>def</p>") == "<p>abc</p>"
+      assert Templates.synopsis("<h2>title</h2><p>abc</p><p>def</p>") == "<p>abc</p>"
+      assert Templates.synopsis("<li><p>abc</p></li>") == "<p>abc</p>"
     end
 
     test "should not end have trailing periods or semicolons" do