diff --git a/tests/test_docs.sh b/tests/test_docs.sh
index 3b5855e41..9b85b027a 100755
--- a/tests/test_docs.sh
+++ b/tests/test_docs.sh
@@ -8,14 +8,32 @@ format_issues=$?
 
 failed=0
 
+# Check for the presence of the "!!!" or "???" markers in the files
+# the consecutive non-empty line must begin with 4 spaces
 while read -r file; do
     awk -v fname="$file" '
     /^(!!!|\?\?\?)/ {
         current_line_number = NR
         current_line = $0
-        if (getline nextLine <= 0 || nextLine !~ /^    /) {
+        found_next_content = 0
+        while (getline nextLine > 0) {
+            # Skip empty lines
+            if (nextLine ~ /^$/) {
+                continue
+            }
+            found_next_content = 1
+            if (nextLine !~ /^    /) {
+                print "File:", fname
+                print "Error in Line ", current_line_number, "Expected next non-empty line to start with 4 spaces"
+                print ">>", current_line
+                print "------"
+                exit 1
+            }
+            break
+        }
+        if (!found_next_content) {
             print "File:", fname
-            print "Error in Line ", current_line_number, "Expected next line to start with 4 spaces"
+            print "Error in Line ", current_line_number, "Found marker but no content following it"
             print ">>", current_line
             print "------"
             exit 1