diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index 36ce88bba..9a9337585 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -1001,11 +1001,16 @@ func (c *compiler) validateKey(obj *d2graph.Object, f *d2ir.Field) {
 
 func (c *compiler) validateLabels(g *d2graph.Graph) {
 	for _, obj := range g.Objects {
-		if obj.Shape.Value == d2target.ShapeText {
-			if strings.TrimSpace(obj.Label.Value) == "" {
-				c.errorf(obj.Label.MapKey, "text must have a label")
-				continue
-			}
+		if obj.Shape.Value != d2target.ShapeText {
+			continue
+		}
+		if obj.Attributes.Language != "" {
+			// blockstrings have already been validated
+			continue
+		}
+		if strings.TrimSpace(obj.Label.Value) == "" {
+			c.errorf(obj.Label.MapKey, "shape text must have a non-empty label")
+			continue
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/d2compiler/compile_test.go b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
index 3c33b03ce..98045e996 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile_test.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
@@ -2720,7 +2720,6 @@ object: {
 b: " \n " {
 	shape: text
 }
-
 c: "" {
 	shape: text
 }
@@ -2728,6 +2727,10 @@ d: "" {
 	shape: circle
 }
 e: " \n "
+f: |md  |
+g: |md
+
+|
 `,
 			expErr: `
 `,