diff --git a/src/nu/validator/htmlparser/impl/TreeBuilder.java b/src/nu/validator/htmlparser/impl/TreeBuilder.java
index e17c3a04..f2d92592 100644
--- a/src/nu/validator/htmlparser/impl/TreeBuilder.java
+++ b/src/nu/validator/htmlparser/impl/TreeBuilder.java
@@ -592,6 +592,7 @@ public boolean dropBufferIfLongerThan(int length) {
         templateModeStack = new int[64];
         listOfActiveFormattingElements = new StackNode[64];
         needToDropLF = false;
+        mode = INITIAL;
         originalMode = INITIAL;
         templateModePtr = -1;
         stackNodesIdx = 0;