diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/DocBook.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/DocBook.hs
index b8ff3f1ff462..a570964b6c00 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/DocBook.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/DocBook.hs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 module Text.Pandoc.Readers.DocBook ( readDocBook ) where
-import Text.Pandoc.Parsing (ParserState(..), defaultParserState)
+import Text.Pandoc.Parsing (ParserState(..))
 import Text.Pandoc.Definition
 import Text.Pandoc.Builder
 import Text.XML.Light
@@ -10,16 +10,13 @@ import Control.Applicative ((<$>))
 
 type DB = State DBState
 
-data DBState = DBState{ dbSectionLevel :: Int }
-             deriving (Read, Show)
-
-defaultDBState :: DBState
-defaultDBState = DBState { dbSectionLevel = 0 }
+data DBState = DBState{ dbSectionLevel :: Int
+                      } deriving Show
 
 readDocBook :: ParserState -> String -> Pandoc
 readDocBook st inp = Pandoc (Meta [] [] []) $ toList blocks
   where blocks = mconcat $ evalState (mapM parseBlock $ parseXML inp)
-                             defaultDBState
+                             DBState{ dbSectionLevel = 0 }
 
 parseBlock :: Content -> DB Blocks
 parseBlock (Text (CData _ s _)) = if all isSpace s
@@ -34,6 +31,7 @@ parseBlock (Elem e) =
         "sect4" -> sect 4
         "sect5" -> sect 5
         "sect6" -> sect 6
+        "section" -> gets dbSectionLevel >>= sect . (+1)
         "title" -> return $ mempty
         _       -> innerBlocks
    where innerBlocks = mconcat <$> (mapM parseBlock $ elContent e)
@@ -47,9 +45,16 @@ parseBlock (Elem e) =
                         ((Elem t):body)
                           | isTitle t -> do
                                   h <- header n <$> (getInlines t)
+                                  modify $ \st -> st{ dbSectionLevel = n }
+                                  b <- mconcat <$> (mapM parseBlock body)
+                                  modify $ \st -> st{ dbSectionLevel = n - 1 }
+                                  return $ h <> b
+                        body      -> do
+                                  let h = header n mempty
+                                  modify $ \st -> st{ dbSectionLevel = n }
                                   b <- mconcat <$> (mapM parseBlock body)
+                                  modify $ \st -> st{ dbSectionLevel = n - 1 }
                                   return $ h <> b
-                        _        -> (header n mempty <>) <$> innerBlocks
 parseBlock (CRef _) = return mempty
 
 parseInline :: Content -> DB Inlines