diff --git a/__tests__/lib/stripComments.test.ts b/__tests__/lib/stripComments.test.ts
index 6794ab628..4c6864dfb 100644
--- a/__tests__/lib/stripComments.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/lib/stripComments.test.ts
@@ -328,6 +328,29 @@ end"`);
     `);
   });
 
+  it.each([
+    ['mdx', { mdx: true }],
+    ['mdxish', { mdxish: true }],
+  ])('preserves comments inside MDX HTMLBlocks (%s)', async (_name, opts) => {
+    const input = `<HTMLBlock>{\`
+<!-- comment -->
+<div>Hello world</div>
+\`}</HTMLBlock>`;
+    const output = await stripComments(input, opts);
+    expect(output).toContain('<!-- comment -->');
+  });
+
+  it('preserves HTMLBlock template literal expressions in mdxish mode', async () => {
+    const input = `<HTMLBlock>{\`
+<div style="color: red">
+  <strong>Hello, World!</strong>
+</div>
+\`}</HTMLBlock>`;
+
+    const output = await stripComments(input, { mdxish: true });
+    expect(output).toBe(input);
+  });
+
   it('preserves jsx tables in mdxish mode', async () => {
     const input = `<Table align={["left","left"]}>
   <thead>
diff --git a/lib/stripComments.ts b/lib/stripComments.ts
index 5bd204141..e5839a0f8 100644
--- a/lib/stripComments.ts
+++ b/lib/stripComments.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import { stripCommentsTransformer } from '../processor/transform/stripComments';
 
 import { jsxTableFromMarkdown } from './mdast-util/jsx-table';
 import { jsxTable } from './micromark/jsx-table';
-import { extractMagicBlocks, restoreMagicBlocks } from './utils/extractMagicBlocks';
+import { protectHTMLBlockContent, restoreHTMLBlockContent } from './utils/extractors/html-blocks';
+import { extractMagicBlocks, restoreMagicBlocks } from './utils/extractors/magic-blocks';
 
 interface Opts {
   mdx?: boolean;
@@ -23,7 +24,16 @@ interface Opts {
  * Removes Markdown and MDX comments.
  */
 async function stripComments(doc: string, { mdx, mdxish }: Opts = {}): Promise<string> {
-  const { replaced, blocks } = extractMagicBlocks(doc);
+  // Preprocessing step: Don't touch magic blocks and HTML block content
+  let preprocessedDoc = doc;
+  const { replaced, blocks } = extractMagicBlocks(preprocessedDoc);
+  preprocessedDoc = replaced;
+
+  // We only need to protect HTML block content if we're in MDXish mode
+  // MDX has correctly handled them
+  if (mdxish) {
+    preprocessedDoc = protectHTMLBlockContent(preprocessedDoc);
+  }
 
   const processor = unified();
 
@@ -75,10 +85,15 @@ async function stripComments(doc: string, { mdx, mdxish }: Opts = {}): Promise<s
           },
     );
 
-  const file = await processor.process(replaced);
+  const file = await processor.process(preprocessedDoc);
   const stringified = String(file).trim();
 
-  const restored = restoreMagicBlocks(stringified, blocks);
+  // Restore sections that were extracted from the document
+  let restored = stringified;
+  restored = restoreMagicBlocks(restored, blocks);
+  if (mdxish) {
+    restored = restoreHTMLBlockContent(restored, true);
+  }
   return restored;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/utils/extractors/html-blocks.ts b/lib/utils/extractors/html-blocks.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4f80c6a98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/utils/extractors/html-blocks.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+// Base64 encode (Node.js + browser compatible)
+function base64Encode(str: string): string {
+  if (typeof Buffer !== 'undefined') {
+    return Buffer.from(str, 'utf-8').toString('base64');
+  }
+  return btoa(unescape(encodeURIComponent(str)));
+}
+
+function base64Decode(str: string): string {
+  if (typeof Buffer !== 'undefined') {
+    return Buffer.from(str, 'base64').toString('utf-8');
+  }
+  return decodeURIComponent(escape(atob(str)));
+}
+
+// Markers for protected HTMLBlock content
+// Add some random characters to the markers to reduce likelihood of conflicts with other content
+const HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_START = 'RMDX-!#@-HTMLBLOCK-START%:';
+const HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_END = ':%RMDX-!#@-HTMLBLOCK-END';
+
+/**
+ * Matches HTMLBlock template literal expressions: `<HTMLBlock>{` ... `}</HTMLBlock>`
+ */
+export const HTMLBLOCK_TEMPLATE_LITERAL_REGEX = /(<HTMLBlock[^>]*>)\{\s*`((?:[^`\\]|\\.)*)`\s*\}(<\/HTMLBlock>)/g;
+
+/**
+ * Base64 encodes HTMLBlock template literal content to prevent markdown parser from consuming <script>/<style> tags.
+ *
+ * @param content
+ * @returns Content with HTMLBlock template literals base64 encoded in HTML comments
+ * @example
+ * ```typescript
+ * const input = '<HTMLBlock>{`<script>alert("xss")</script>`}</HTMLBlock>';
+ * protectHTMLBlockContent(input)
+ * // Returns: '<HTMLBlock>RDMX-!#@-HTMLBLOCK-START%:PHNjcmlwdD5hbGVydCgieHNzIik8L3NjcmlwdD4=:%RDMX-!#@-HTMLBLOCK-END</HTMLBlock>'
+ * ```
+ */
+export function protectHTMLBlockContent(content: string) {
+  return content.replace(
+    HTMLBLOCK_TEMPLATE_LITERAL_REGEX,
+    (_match, openTag: string, templateContent: string, closeTag: string) => {
+      const encoded = base64Encode(templateContent);
+      return `${openTag}${HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_START}${encoded}${HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_END}${closeTag}`;
+    },
+  );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Restores HTMLBlock content that was protected by `protectHTMLBlockContent`.
+ * When `withBackticks` is true, re-wraps the decoded body as `{`...`}` (used by `stripComments` to preserve
+ * original markup). When false or omitted, inserts decoded HTML only (typical for transformers).
+ *
+ * @param content
+ * @param withBackticks
+ * @returns Content with protected markers replaced by decoded HTML, optionally wrapped in template literal syntax
+ * @example
+ * ```typescript
+ * const input =
+ *   '<HTMLBlock>RMDX-!#@-HTMLBLOCK-START%:PHNjcmlwdD5hbGVydCgieHNzIik8L3NjcmlwdD4=:RMDX-!#@-HTMLBLOCK-END</HTMLBlock>';
+ * restoreHTMLBlockContent(input, true);
+ * // Returns: '<HTMLBlock>{`<script>alert("xss")</script>`}</HTMLBlock>'
+ * restoreHTMLBlockContent(input);
+ * // Returns: '<HTMLBlock><script>alert("xss")</script></HTMLBlock>'
+ * ```
+ */
+export function restoreHTMLBlockContent(content: string, withBackticks?: boolean) {
+  const markerRegex = new RegExp(`${HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_START}([A-Za-z0-9+/=]+)${HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_END}`, 'g');
+  return content.replace(markerRegex, (_match, encoded: string) => {
+    try {
+      const decoded = base64Decode(encoded);
+      return withBackticks ? `{\`${decoded}\`}` : decoded;
+    } catch {
+      return encoded;
+    }
+  });
+}
diff --git a/lib/utils/extractMagicBlocks.ts b/lib/utils/extractors/magic-blocks.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from lib/utils/extractMagicBlocks.ts
rename to lib/utils/extractors/magic-blocks.ts
diff --git a/processor/transform/mdxish/mdxish-html-blocks.ts b/processor/transform/mdxish/mdxish-html-blocks.ts
index 26398b11f..b14f4af53 100644
--- a/processor/transform/mdxish/mdxish-html-blocks.ts
+++ b/processor/transform/mdxish/mdxish-html-blocks.ts
@@ -5,28 +5,9 @@ import type { Transform } from 'mdast-util-from-markdown';
 import { visit } from 'unist-util-visit';
 
 import { NodeTypes } from '../../../enums';
+import { restoreHTMLBlockContent } from '../../../lib/utils/extractors/html-blocks';
 import { formatHtmlForMdxish } from '../../utils';
 
-import { base64Decode, HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_END, HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_START } from './preprocess-jsx-expressions';
-
-/**
- * Decodes HTMLBlock content that was protected during preprocessing.
- * Content is wrapped in <!--RDMX_HTMLBLOCK:base64:RDMX_HTMLBLOCK-->
- */
-function decodeProtectedContent(content: string): string {
-  // Escape special regex characters in the markers
-  const startEscaped = HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_START.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&');
-  const endEscaped = HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_END.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&');
-  const markerRegex = new RegExp(`${startEscaped}([A-Za-z0-9+/=]+)${endEscaped}`, 'g');
-  return content.replace(markerRegex, (_match, encoded: string) => {
-    try {
-      return base64Decode(encoded);
-    } catch {
-      return encoded;
-    }
-  });
-}
-
 /**
  * Collects text content from a node and its children recursively
  */
@@ -205,7 +186,7 @@ const mdxishHtmlBlocks = (): Transform => tree => {
           let content = contentParts.join('');
           content = content.replace(/^<HTMLBlock[^>]*>\s*\{?\s*`?/, '').replace(/`?\s*\}?\s*<\/HTMLBlock>$/, '');
           // Decode protected content that was base64 encoded during preprocessing
-          content = decodeProtectedContent(content);
+          content = restoreHTMLBlockContent(content);
 
           const htmlString = formatHtmlForMdxish(content);
           const runScripts = extractRunScriptsAttr(attrs);
@@ -241,7 +222,7 @@ const mdxishHtmlBlocks = (): Transform => tree => {
       // Remove template literal syntax if present: {`...`}
       content = content.replace(/^\s*\{\s*`/, '').replace(/`\s*\}\s*$/, '');
       // Decode protected content that was base64 encoded during preprocessing
-      content = decodeProtectedContent(content);
+      content = restoreHTMLBlockContent(content);
 
       const htmlString = formatHtmlForMdxish(content);
       const runScripts = extractRunScriptsAttr(attrs);
@@ -286,7 +267,7 @@ const mdxishHtmlBlocks = (): Transform => tree => {
       }
 
       // Decode protected content that was base64 encoded during preprocessing
-      const decodedContent = decodeProtectedContent(contentParts.join(''));
+      const decodedContent = restoreHTMLBlockContent(contentParts.join(''));
       const htmlString = formatHtmlForMdxish(decodedContent);
       const runScripts = extractRunScriptsAttr(value);
       const safeMode = extractBooleanAttr(value, 'safeMode');
@@ -356,7 +337,7 @@ const mdxishHtmlBlocks = (): Transform => tree => {
       }
 
       // Decode protected content that was base64 encoded during preprocessing
-      const decodedContent = decodeProtectedContent(templateContent.join(''));
+      const decodedContent = restoreHTMLBlockContent(templateContent.join(''));
       const htmlString = formatHtmlForMdxish(decodedContent);
 
       const runScripts = openingTag.value ? extractRunScriptsAttr(openingTag.value) : undefined;
diff --git a/processor/transform/mdxish/preprocess-jsx-expressions.ts b/processor/transform/mdxish/preprocess-jsx-expressions.ts
index a274f70c0..0fca5ae42 100644
--- a/processor/transform/mdxish/preprocess-jsx-expressions.ts
+++ b/processor/transform/mdxish/preprocess-jsx-expressions.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { JSX_COMMENT_REGEX } from '../../../lib/micromark/jsx-comment/pattern';
+import { protectHTMLBlockContent } from '../../../lib/utils/extractors/html-blocks';
 import {
   type ProtectedCode,
   protectCodeBlocks,
@@ -6,22 +7,6 @@ import {
   restoreInlineCode,
 } from '../../../lib/utils/mdxish/protect-code-blocks';
 
-// Base64 encode (Node.js + browser compatible)
-function base64Encode(str: string): string {
-  if (typeof Buffer !== 'undefined') {
-    return Buffer.from(str, 'utf-8').toString('base64');
-  }
-  return btoa(unescape(encodeURIComponent(str)));
-}
-
-// Base64 decode (Node.js + browser compatible)
-export function base64Decode(str: string): string {
-  if (typeof Buffer !== 'undefined') {
-    return Buffer.from(str, 'base64').toString('utf-8');
-  }
-  return decodeURIComponent(escape(atob(str)));
-}
-
 function escapeHtmlAttribute(value: string): string {
   return value
     .replace(/&/g, '&amp;')
@@ -35,10 +20,6 @@ function escapeHtmlAttribute(value: string): string {
 // Using a prefix that won't conflict with regular string values
 export const JSON_VALUE_MARKER = '__MDXISH_JSON__';
 
-// Markers for protected HTMLBlock content (HTML comments avoid markdown parsing issues)
-export const HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_START = '<!--RDMX_HTMLBLOCK:';
-export const HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_END = ':RDMX_HTMLBLOCK-->';
-
 /**
  * Pre-processes JSX-like expressions before markdown parsing.
  * Converts href={'value'} to href="value", evaluates {expressions}, etc.
@@ -66,28 +47,6 @@ export function evaluateExpression(expression: string, context: JSXContext) {
   return func(...contextValues);
 }
 
-/**
- * Base64 encodes HTMLBlock template literal content to prevent markdown parser from consuming <script>/<style> tags.
- *
- * @param content
- * @returns Content with HTMLBlock template literals base64 encoded in HTML comments
- * @example
- * ```typescript
- * const input = '<HTMLBlock>{`<script>alert("xss")</script>`}</HTMLBlock>';
- * protectHTMLBlockContent(input)
- * // Returns: '<HTMLBlock><!--RDMX_HTMLBLOCK:PHNjcmlwdD5hbGVydCgieHNzIik8L3NjcmlwdD4=:RDMX_HTMLBLOCK--></HTMLBlock>'
- * ```
- */
-function protectHTMLBlockContent(content: string): string {
-  return content.replace(
-    /(<HTMLBlock[^>]*>)\{\s*`((?:[^`\\]|\\.)*)`\s*\}(<\/HTMLBlock>)/g,
-    (_match, openTag: string, templateContent: string, closeTag: string) => {
-      const encoded = base64Encode(templateContent);
-      return `${openTag}${HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_START}${encoded}${HTML_BLOCK_CONTENT_END}${closeTag}`;
-    },
-  );
-}
-
 /**
  * Removes JSX-style comments (e.g., { /* comment *\/ }) from content.
  *