Vedant-Gandhi · Sep 23, 2026 · Sep 23, 2026 · Sep 23, 2026 · Sep 23, 2026
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/default-filters.php b/src/wp-includes/default-filters.php
@@ -204,6 +204,8 @@
 add_filter( 'the_content', 'convert_smilies', 20 );
 add_filter( 'the_content', 'wpautop' );
 add_filter( 'the_content', 'shortcode_unautop' );
+// Fix for #50863: [playlist] + trailing text produces a </p> with no matching <p>.
+add_filter( 'the_content', 'wp_split_paragraphs_around_block_shortcodes' );
 add_filter( 'the_content', 'prepend_attachment' );
 add_filter( 'the_content', 'wp_replace_insecure_home_url' );
 add_filter( 'the_content', 'do_shortcode', 11 ); // AFTER wpautop().

diff --git a/src/wp-includes/formatting.php b/src/wp-includes/formatting.php
@@ -6403,3 +6403,91 @@ function maybe_hash_hex_color( $color ) {
 
 	return $color;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Shortcode tags known to produce block-level markup when expanded.
+ *
+ * @since 7.2.0
+ *
+ * @return string[] Registered block-level shortcode tag names.
+ */
+function wp_get_block_level_shortcode_tags() {
+	/**
+	 * Filters the shortcode tags treated as producing block-level markup, so
+	 * their paragraphs get split instead of left wrapping the expanded output.
+	 *
+	 * @since 7.2.0
+	 *
+	 * @param string[] $tags Shortcode tag names. Default array( 'playlist' ).
+	 */
+	return apply_filters( 'wp_block_level_shortcode_tags', array( 'playlist' ) );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Splits paragraphs around block-level shortcodes that aren't alone in them.
+ *
+ * @since 7.2.0
+ *
+ * @param string $content Content that has been through wpautop() and shortcode_unautop().
+ * @return string
+ */
+function wp_split_paragraphs_around_block_shortcodes( $content ) {
+	$tags = wp_get_block_level_shortcode_tags();
+
+	if ( empty( $tags ) || false === strpos( $content, '[' ) ) {
+		return $content;
+	}
+
+	$shortcode_regex = get_shortcode_regex( $tags );
+
+	return preg_replace_callback(
+		'/<p\b[^>]*>(.*?)<\/p>/s',
+		static function ( $matches ) use ( $shortcode_regex ) {
+			return _wp_split_paragraph_around_shortcode_matches( $matches[0], $matches[1], $shortcode_regex );
+		},
+		$content
+	);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Helper for wp_split_paragraphs_around_block_shortcodes().
+ *
+ * @since 7.2.0
+ *
+ * @param string $whole_p         The full <p>...</p> match.
+ * @param string $inner           The paragraph's inner content.
+ * @param string $shortcode_regex Regex from get_shortcode_regex() for the block-level tags.
+ * @return string
+ */
+function _wp_split_paragraph_around_shortcode_matches( $whole_p, $inner, $shortcode_regex ) {
+	if ( ! preg_match_all( '/' . $shortcode_regex . '/s', $inner, $all, PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE ) ) {
+		return $whole_p;
+	}
+
+	// A shortcode that's already the paragraph's sole content is shortcode_unautop()'s job.
+	if ( 1 === count( $all[0] ) && trim( $inner ) === trim( $all[0][0][0] ) ) {
+		return $whole_p;
+	}
+
+	$output = '';
+	$cursor = 0;
+
+	foreach ( $all[0] as $match ) {
+		list( $shortcode_text, $offset ) = $match;
+
+		$before = trim( substr( $inner, $cursor, $offset - $cursor ) );
+		if ( '' !== $before ) {
+			$output .= '<p>' . $before . '</p>';
+		}
+
+		$output .= $shortcode_text;
+		$cursor  = $offset + strlen( $shortcode_text );
+	}
+
+	$after = trim( substr( $inner, $cursor ) );
+	if ( '' !== $after ) {
+		$output .= '<p>' . $after . '</p>';
+	}
+
+	return $output;
+}
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/formatting/unwrapblockcontent.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/formatting/unwrapblockcontent.php
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @group formatting
+ * @covers ::wp_split_paragraphs_around_block_shortcodes
+ */
+class Tests_Formatting_WpSplitParagraphsAroundBlockShortcodes extends WP_UnitTestCase {
+
+	public function set_up() {
+		parent::set_up();
+		add_shortcode(
+			'playlist',
+			static function () {
+				return '<div class="wp-playlist wp-video-playlist wp-playlist-dark">'
+					. '<div class="wp-playlist-next"></div>'
+					. '<div class="wp-playlist-prev"></div>'
+					. '<script type="application/json" class="wp-playlist-script">{"tracks":[]}</script>'
+					. '</div>';
+			}
+		);
+	}
+
+	public function tear_down() {
+		remove_shortcode( 'playlist' );
+		parent::tear_down();
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Reproduces #50863 end to end through the real content pipeline.
+	 */
+	public function test_playlist_with_trailing_text_produces_valid_nesting() {
+		$raw = '[playlist ids="1,2,3"] Hey everyone, check out my new songs!';
+
+		$content = wpautop( $raw );
+		$content = shortcode_unautop( $content );
+		$content = wp_split_paragraphs_around_block_shortcodes( $content );
+		$content = do_shortcode( $content );
+
+		$this->assertStringNotContainsString( '<p><div', $content );
+		$this->assertStringNotContainsString( '<p></p>', $content );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( '<p>Hey everyone, check out my new songs!</p>', $content );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( '<div class="wp-playlist-next"></div>', $content );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Leading text before the shortcode should get its own paragraph too.
+	 */
+	public function test_playlist_with_leading_text_produces_valid_nesting() {
+		$raw = 'Check this out: [playlist ids="1,2,3"]';
+
+		$content = wpautop( $raw );
+		$content = shortcode_unautop( $content );
+		$content = wp_split_paragraphs_around_block_shortcodes( $content );
+		$content = do_shortcode( $content );
+
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( '<p>Check this out:</p>', $content );
+		$this->assertStringNotContainsString( '<p>Check this out: <div', $content );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * A shortcode alone in its paragraph is shortcode_unautop()'s job; the new
+	 * function must be a no-op there, not double-handle it.
+	 */
+	public function test_standalone_playlist_shortcode_is_left_to_shortcode_unautop() {
+		$raw = '[playlist ids="1,2,3"]';
+
+		$content       = wpautop( $raw );
+		$after_unautop = shortcode_unautop( $content );
+
+		// wpautop() emits each paragraph as "<p>...</p>\n"; shortcode_unautop() only
+		// replaces the matched <p>...</p> span, so that trailing newline is expected
+		// and irrelevant to what's being tested here.
+		$this->assertSame( '[playlist ids="1,2,3"]', trim( $after_unautop ) );
+		$this->assertSame( $after_unautop, wp_split_paragraphs_around_block_shortcodes( $after_unautop ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * A non-block-level shortcode (not in the registered tag list) must be left alone,
+	 * even with surrounding text, since it isn't known to expand into block markup.
+	 */
+	public function test_non_block_level_shortcode_is_untouched() {
+		$content = '<p>Some text with [caption]a normal caption[/caption] inline.</p>';
+
+		$this->assertSame( $content, wp_split_paragraphs_around_block_shortcodes( $content ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Raw HTML a user typed directly into a paragraph, with no shortcode involved
+	 * at all, must never be touched by this filter.
+	 */
+	public function test_raw_user_html_with_no_shortcode_is_untouched() {
+		$content = '<p>Some text with a <div>raw div a user pasted</div> inside it.</p>';
+
+		$this->assertSame( $content, wp_split_paragraphs_around_block_shortcodes( $content ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * The wp_block_level_shortcode_tags filter lets other block-producing
+	 * shortcodes (core's own [gallery], or a plugin's) opt in.
+	 */
+	public function test_block_level_tag_list_is_filterable() {
+		add_shortcode(
+			'stub_gallery',
+			static function () {
+				return '<div class="gallery"><div class="gallery-item"></div></div>';
+			}
+		);
+
+		$add_gallery = static function ( $tags ) {
+			$tags[] = 'stub_gallery';
+			return $tags;
+		};
+		add_filter( 'wp_block_level_shortcode_tags', $add_gallery );
+
+		$raw     = '[stub_gallery] Look at these!';
+		$content = wpautop( $raw );
+		$content = shortcode_unautop( $content );
+		$content = wp_split_paragraphs_around_block_shortcodes( $content );
+		$content = do_shortcode( $content );
+
+		remove_filter( 'wp_block_level_shortcode_tags', $add_gallery );
+		remove_shortcode( 'stub_gallery' );
+
+		$this->assertStringNotContainsString( '<p><div', $content );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( '<p>Look at these!</p>', $content );
+	}
+}