diff --git a/cypress/integration/rendering/flowchart.spec.js b/cypress/integration/rendering/flowchart.spec.js
index 8bb4b8dff..4ea4cbcee 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/rendering/flowchart.spec.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/rendering/flowchart.spec.js
@@ -374,6 +374,7 @@ describe('Flowchart', () => {
         click B testClick "click test"
         classDef someclass fill:#f96;
         class A someclass;
+        class C someclass;
       `,
       {
         listUrl: false,
@@ -396,6 +397,7 @@ describe('Flowchart', () => {
       { flowchart: { htmlLabels: false } }
     );
   });
+
   it('16: Render Stadium shape', () => {
     imgSnapshotTest(
       ` graph TD
@@ -408,10 +410,13 @@ describe('Flowchart', () => {
       click A "index.html#link-clicked" "link test"
       click B testClick "click test"
       classDef someclass fill:#f96;
-      class A someclass;`,
+      class A someclass;
+      class C someclass;
+      `,
       { flowchart: { htmlLabels: false } }
     );
   });
+
   it('17: Render multiline texts', () => {
     imgSnapshotTest(
       `graph LR
@@ -428,6 +433,7 @@ describe('Flowchart', () => {
       { flowchart: { htmlLabels: false } }
     );
   });
+
   it('18: Chaining of nodes', () => {
     imgSnapshotTest(
       `graph LR
@@ -436,6 +442,7 @@ describe('Flowchart', () => {
       { flowchart: { htmlLabels: false } }
     );
   });
+
   it('19: Multiple nodes and chaining in one statement', () => {
     imgSnapshotTest(
       `graph LR
@@ -444,6 +451,7 @@ describe('Flowchart', () => {
       { flowchart: { htmlLabels: false } }
     );
   });
+
   it('20: Multiple nodes and chaining in one statement', () => {
     imgSnapshotTest(
       `graph TD
@@ -453,6 +461,7 @@ describe('Flowchart', () => {
       { flowchart: { htmlLabels: false } }
     );
   });
+
   it('21: Render cylindrical shape', () => {
     imgSnapshotTest(
       `graph LR
@@ -474,6 +483,7 @@ describe('Flowchart', () => {
       { flowchart: { htmlLabels: false } }
     );
   });
+
   it('22: Render a simple flowchart with nodeSpacing set to 100', () => {
     imgSnapshotTest(
       `graph TD
@@ -487,6 +497,7 @@ describe('Flowchart', () => {
       { flowchart: { nodeSpacing: 50 } }
     );
   });
+
   it('23: Render a simple flowchart with rankSpacing set to 100', () => {
     imgSnapshotTest(
       `graph TD
@@ -500,4 +511,17 @@ describe('Flowchart', () => {
       { flowchart: { rankSpacing: '100' } }
     );
   });
+
+  it('24: Keep node label text (if already defined) when a style is applied', () => {
+    imgSnapshotTest(
+      `graph LR
+      A(( )) -->|step 1| B(( ))
+      B(( )) -->|step 2| C(( ))
+      C(( )) -->|step 3| D(( ))
+      linkStyle 1 stroke:greenyellow,stroke-width:2px
+      style C fill:greenyellow,stroke:green,stroke-width:4px
+      `,
+      { flowchart: { htmlLabels: false } }
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/cypress/integration/rendering/stateDiagram.spec.js b/cypress/integration/rendering/stateDiagram.spec.js
index 0ab68713e..3e0bf1e1c 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/rendering/stateDiagram.spec.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/rendering/stateDiagram.spec.js
@@ -121,6 +121,18 @@ describe('State diagram', () => {
       {}
     );
   });
+  it('should handle multiline notes with different line breaks', () => {
+    imgSnapshotTest(
+      `
+      stateDiagram
+      State1
+      note right of State1
+      Line1<br>Line2<br/>Line3<br />Line4<br	/>Line5
+      end note
+      `,
+      {}
+    );
+  });
 
   it('should render a states with descriptions including multi-line descriptions', () => {
     imgSnapshotTest(
diff --git a/dist/index.html b/dist/index.html
index 4acc24c4f..2505d8010 100644
--- a/dist/index.html
+++ b/dist/index.html
@@ -289,16 +289,17 @@ graph TB
       style 456ac9b0d15a8b7f1e71073221059886 fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:4px
   </div>
   <div class="mermaid">
-graph TD
-A[Christmas] -->|Get money| B(Go shopping)
-B --> C{{Let me think...<br />Do I want something for work,<br />something to spend every free second with,<br />or something to get around?}}
-C -->|One| D[Laptop]
-C -->|Two| E[iPhone]
-C -->|Three| F[Car]
-click A "index.html#link-clicked" "link test"
-click B testClick "click test"
-classDef someclass fill:#f96;
-class A someclass;
+    graph TD
+    A[Christmas] -->|Get money| B(Go shopping)
+    B --> C{{Let me think...<br />Do I want something for work,<br />something to spend every free second with,<br />or something to get around?}}
+    C -->|One| D[Laptop]
+    C -->|Two| E[iPhone]
+    C -->|Three| F[Car]
+    click A "index.html#link-clicked" "link test"
+    click B testClick "click test"
+    classDef someclass fill:#f96;
+    class A someclass;
+    class C someclass;
   </div>
   <div class="mermaid">
     graph TD
@@ -312,6 +313,7 @@ class A someclass;
     click B testClick "click test"
     classDef someclass fill:#f96;
     class A someclass;
+    class C someclass;
   </div>
   <div class="mermaid">
     graph LR
@@ -343,6 +345,14 @@ class A someclass;
     linkStyle 1 stroke:DarkGray,stroke-width:2px
     linkStyle 2 stroke:DarkGray,stroke-width:2px
   </div>
+  <div class="mermaid">
+    graph LR
+    A(( )) -->|step 1| B(( ))
+    B(( )) -->|step 2| C(( ))
+    C(( )) -->|step 3| D(( ))
+    linkStyle 1 stroke:greenyellow,stroke-width:2px
+    style C fill:greenyellow,stroke:green,stroke-width:4px
+  </div>
 
   <hr/>
 
@@ -519,45 +529,46 @@ class Class10 {
       int id
       size()
     }
-      </div>
+  </div>
 
-      <div class="mermaid">
-        classDiagram
-        Class01~T~ <|-- AveryLongClass : Cool
-        &lt;&lt;interface&gt;&gt; Class01
-        Class03~T~ "0" *-- "0..n" Class04
-        Class05 "1" o-- "many" Class06
-        Class07~T~ .. Class08
-        Class09 "many" --> "1" C2  : Where am i?
-        Class09 "0" --* "1..n" C3
-        Class09 --|> Class07
-        Class07 : equals()
-        Class07 : Object[] elementData
-        Class01 : #size()
-        Class01 : -int chimp
-        Class01 : +int gorilla
-        Class08 <--> C2: Cool label
-        class Class10 {
-          &lt;&lt;service&gt;&gt;
-          int id
-          size()
-        }
-          </div>
+  <div class="mermaid">
+    classDiagram
+    Class01~T~ <|-- AveryLongClass : Cool
+    &lt;&lt;interface&gt;&gt; Class01
+    Class03~T~ "0" *-- "0..n" Class04
+    Class05 "1" o-- "many" Class06
+    Class07~T~ .. Class08
+    Class09 "many" --> "1" C2  : Where am i?
+    Class09 "0" --* "1..n" C3
+    Class09 --|> Class07
+    Class07 : equals()
+    Class07 : Object[] elementData
+    Class01 : #size()
+    Class01 : -int chimp
+    Class01 : +int gorilla
+    Class08 <--> C2: Cool label
+    class Class10 {
+      &lt;&lt;service&gt;&gt;
+      int id
+      size()
+    }
+  </div>
 
   <div class="mermaid">
     stateDiagram
       State1
-      </div>
+  </div>
 
-      <hr>
-      <div class="mermaid">
-        stateDiagram
-        [*] --> First
-        state First {
-            [*] --> second
-            second --> [*]
-        }
-          </div>
+  <hr>
+
+  <div class="mermaid">
+    stateDiagram
+    [*] --> First
+    state First {
+        [*] --> second
+        second --> [*]
+    }
+  </div>
   <div class="mermaid">
     stateDiagram
         State1: The state with a note
@@ -567,8 +578,14 @@ class Class10 {
         end note
         State1 --> State2
         note left of State2 : This is the note to the left.
-      </div>
-
+  </div>
+  <div class="mermaid">
+    stateDiagram
+    State1
+    note right of State1
+    Line1<br>Line2<br/>Line3<br />Line4<br	/>Line5
+    end note
+  </div>
 
   <script src="./mermaid.js"></script>
   <script>
diff --git a/docs/flowchart.md b/docs/flowchart.md
index d5b27874b..ff0e6cbdc 100644
--- a/docs/flowchart.md
+++ b/docs/flowchart.md
@@ -314,6 +314,37 @@ graph LR
    A -- text --> B -- text2 --> C
 ```
 
+It is also possible to declare multiple nodes links in the same line as per below:
+```
+graph LR
+   a --> b & c--> d
+```
+```mermaid
+graph LR
+   a --> b & c--> d
+```
+
+You can then describe dependencies in a very expressive way. Like the onliner below:
+```
+graph TB
+    A & B--> C & D
+```
+```mermaid
+graph TB
+    A & B--> C & D
+```
+If you describe the same diagram using the the basic syntax, it will take four lines. A
+word of warning, one could go overboard with this making the graph harder to read in
+markdown form. The Swedish word `lagom` comes to mind. It means, not to much and not to little.
+This goes for expressive syntaxes as well.
+```
+graph TB
+    A --> C
+    A --> D
+    B --> C
+    B --> D
+```
+
 
 ## Special characters that break syntax
 
@@ -512,6 +543,19 @@ It is also possible to attach a class to a list of nodes in one statement:
     class nodeId1,nodeId2 className;
 ```
 
+A shorter form of adding a class is to attach the classname to the node using the `:::`operator as per below:
+
+```
+graph LR
+    A:::someclass --> B
+    classDef someclass fill:#f96;
+```
+```mermaid
+graph LR
+    A:::someclass --> B
+    classDef someclass fill:#f96;
+```
+
 
 ### Css classes
 
diff --git a/docs/mermaidAPI.md b/docs/mermaidAPI.md
index e962ffc70..7fa530406 100644
--- a/docs/mermaidAPI.md
+++ b/docs/mermaidAPI.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ These are the default options which can be overridden with the initialization ca
 <pre>
 mermaid.initialize({
   flowchart:{
-     htmlLabels: false
+    htmlLabels: false
   }
 });
 </pre>
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ mermaid.initialize({
 **Example 2:**
 
 <pre>
- <script>
+&lt;script>
   var config = {
     startOnLoad:true,
     flowchart:{
@@ -39,10 +39,10 @@ mermaid.initialize({
     securityLevel:'loose',
   };
   mermaid.initialize(config);
-</script>
-
+&lt;/script>
 </pre>
-A summary of all options and their defaults is found [here](https://github.com/knsv/mermaid/blob/master/docs/mermaidAPI.md#mermaidapi-configuration-defaults). A description of each option follows below.
+
+A summary of all options and their defaults is found [here][2]. A description of each option follows below.
 
 ## theme
 
@@ -333,3 +333,5 @@ mermaidAPI.initialize({
 </pre>
 
 [1]: https://github.com/knsv/mermaid/blob/master/docs/mermaidAPI.md#render
+
+[2]: https://github.com/knsv/mermaid/blob/master/docs/mermaidAPI.md#mermaidapi-configuration-defaults
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cb3f2461b..66310f158 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "mermaid",
-  "version": "8.4.5",
+  "version": "8.4.6",
   "description": "Markdownish syntax for generating flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, gantt charts and git graphs.",
   "main": "dist/mermaid.core.js",
   "keywords": [
diff --git a/src/diagrams/class/classDb.js b/src/diagrams/class/classDb.js
index a20bdd075..dcb62164c 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/class/classDb.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/class/classDb.js
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ export const addMembers = function(className, members) {
 
 export const cleanupLabel = function(label) {
   if (label.substring(0, 1) === ':') {
-    return label.substr(2).trim();
+    return label.substr(1).trim();
   } else {
     return label.trim();
   }
diff --git a/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.js b/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.js
index 8510b086d..4ac53ae10 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/class/classDiagram.spec.js
@@ -67,6 +67,48 @@ describe('class diagram, ', function () {
       parser.parse(str);
     });
 
+    it('should break when another `{`is encountered before closing the first one while defining generic class with brackets', function() {
+      const str =
+        'classDiagram\n' +
+        'class Dummy_Class~T~ {\n' +
+        'String data\n' +
+        '  void methods()\n' +
+        '}\n' +
+        '\n' +
+        'class Dummy_Class {\n' +
+        'class Flight {\n' +
+        '   flightNumber : Integer\n' +
+        '   departureTime : Date\n' +
+        '}';
+      let testPased =false;
+      try{
+        parser.parse(str);
+      }catch (error){
+        console.log(error.name);
+        testPased = true;
+      }
+      expect(testPased).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should break when EOF is encountered before closing the first `{` while defining generic class with brackets', function() {
+      const str =
+        'classDiagram\n' +
+        'class Dummy_Class~T~ {\n' +
+        'String data\n' +
+        '  void methods()\n' +
+        '}\n' +
+        '\n' +
+        'class Dummy_Class {\n';
+      let testPased =false;
+      try{
+        parser.parse(str);
+      }catch (error){
+        console.log(error.name);
+        testPased = true;
+      }
+      expect(testPased).toBe(true);
+    });
+
     it('should handle generic class with brackets', function() {
       const str =
         'classDiagram\n' +
@@ -79,8 +121,6 @@ describe('class diagram, ', function () {
         '   flightNumber : Integer\n' +
         '   departureTime : Date\n' +
         '}';
-
-      parser.parse(str);
     });
 
     it('should handle class definitions', function() {
diff --git a/src/diagrams/class/classRenderer.js b/src/diagrams/class/classRenderer.js
index 39a15a5bd..5e6208ac5 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/class/classRenderer.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/class/classRenderer.js
@@ -540,9 +540,14 @@ export const draw = function(text, id) {
     logger.info(
       'tjoho' + getGraphId(relation.id1) + getGraphId(relation.id2) + JSON.stringify(relation)
     );
-    g.setEdge(getGraphId(relation.id1), getGraphId(relation.id2), {
-      relation: relation
-    });
+    g.setEdge(
+      getGraphId(relation.id1),
+      getGraphId(relation.id2),
+      {
+        relation: relation
+      },
+      relation.title || 'DEFAULT'
+    );
   });
   dagre.layout(g);
   g.nodes().forEach(function(v) {
diff --git a/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison b/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison
index 7bd768138..12e9a2564 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison
+++ b/src/diagrams/class/parser/classDiagram.jison
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 \s+                     /* skip whitespace */
 "classDiagram"          return 'CLASS_DIAGRAM';
 [\{]                    { this.begin("struct"); /*console.log('Starting struct');*/return 'STRUCT_START';}
+<struct><<EOF>>         return "EOF_IN_STRUCT";
+<struct>[\{]            return "OPEN_IN_STRUCT";
 <struct>\}           { /*console.log('Ending struct');*/this.popState(); return 'STRUCT_STOP';}}
 <struct>[\n]              /* nothing */
 <struct>[^\{\}\n]*     { /*console.log('lex-member: ' + yytext);*/  return "MEMBER";}
diff --git a/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowDb.js b/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowDb.js
index 4b78231c2..33c85a15d 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowDb.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowDb.js
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export const addVertex = function(_id, text, type, style, classes) {
 
     vertices[id].text = txt;
   } else {
-    if (!vertices[id].text) {
+    if (typeof vertices[id].text === 'undefined') {
       vertices[id].text = _id;
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.js b/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.js
index 52031e5db..931608b45 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.js
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ export const addVertices = function(vert, g, svgId) {
     } else {
       const svgLabel = document.createElementNS('http://www.w3.org/2000/svg', 'text');
 
-      const rows = vertexText.split(/<br[/]{0,1}>/);
+      const rows = vertexText.split(/<br\s*\/?>/gi);
 
       for (let j = 0; j < rows.length; j++) {
         const tspan = document.createElementNS('http://www.w3.org/2000/svg', 'tspan');
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ export const addEdges = function(edges, g) {
         edgeData.label = '<span class="edgeLabel">' + edge.text + '</span>';
       } else {
         edgeData.labelType = 'text';
-        edgeData.label = edge.text.replace(/<br\s*\/?>/g, '\n');
+        edgeData.label = edge.text.replace(/<br\s*\/?>/gi, '\n');
 
         if (typeof edge.style === 'undefined') {
           edgeData.style = edgeData.style || 'stroke: #333; stroke-width: 1.5px;fill:none';
@@ -461,6 +461,7 @@ export const draw = function(text, id) {
       const node = d3.select('#' + id + ' [id="' + key + '"]');
       if (node) {
         const link = document.createElementNS('http://www.w3.org/2000/svg', 'a');
+        link.setAttributeNS('http://www.w3.org/2000/svg', 'class', vertex.classes.join(' '));
         link.setAttributeNS('http://www.w3.org/2000/svg', 'href', vertex.link);
         link.setAttributeNS('http://www.w3.org/2000/svg', 'rel', 'noopener');
 
diff --git a/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.spec.js b/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.spec.js
index de8a6a485..d691840ed 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.spec.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/flowchart/flowRenderer.spec.js
@@ -55,6 +55,43 @@ describe('the flowchart renderer', function() {
         expect(addedNodes[0][1]).toHaveProperty('ry', expectedRadios);
       });
     });
+
+    [
+      'Multi<br>Line',
+      'Multi<br/>Line',
+      'Multi<br />Line',
+      'Multi<br\t/>Line'
+    ].forEach(function(labelText) {
+      it('should handle multiline texts with different line breaks', function() {
+        const addedNodes = [];
+        const mockG = {
+          setNode: function(id, object) {
+            addedNodes.push([id, object]);
+          }
+        };
+        addVertices(
+          {
+            v1: {
+              type: 'rect',
+              id: 'my-node-id',
+              classes: [],
+              styles: [],
+              text: 'Multi<br>Line'
+            }
+          },
+          mockG,
+          'svg-id'
+        );
+        expect(addedNodes).toHaveLength(1);
+        expect(addedNodes[0][0]).toEqual('my-node-id');
+        expect(addedNodes[0][1]).toHaveProperty('id', 'my-node-id');
+        expect(addedNodes[0][1]).toHaveProperty('labelType', 'svg');
+        expect(addedNodes[0][1].label).toBeDefined();
+        expect(addedNodes[0][1].label).toBeDefined(); // <text> node
+        expect(addedNodes[0][1].label.firstChild.innerHTML).toEqual('Multi'); // <tspan> node, line 1
+        expect(addedNodes[0][1].label.lastChild.innerHTML).toEqual('Line'); // <tspan> node, line 2
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   [
@@ -109,9 +146,11 @@ describe('the flowchart renderer', function() {
           { text: 'Multi<br>Line' },
           { text: 'Multi<br/>Line' },
           { text: 'Multi<br />Line' },
+          { text: 'Multi<br\t/>Line' },
           { style: ['stroke:DarkGray', 'stroke-width:2px'], text: 'Multi<br>Line' },
           { style: ['stroke:DarkGray', 'stroke-width:2px'], text: 'Multi<br/>Line' },
-          { style: ['stroke:DarkGray', 'stroke-width:2px'], text: 'Multi<br />Line' }
+          { style: ['stroke:DarkGray', 'stroke-width:2px'], text: 'Multi<br />Line' },
+          { style: ['stroke:DarkGray', 'stroke-width:2px'], text: 'Multi<br\t/>Line' }
         ],
         mockG,
         'svg-id'
diff --git a/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow-style.spec.js b/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow-style.spec.js
index b9d678b54..db92660ae 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow-style.spec.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/flowchart/parser/flow-style.spec.js
@@ -86,6 +86,17 @@ describe('[Style] when parsing', () => {
     expect(vert['T'].styles[1]).toBe('border:1px solid red');
   });
 
+  it('should keep node label text (if already defined) when a style is applied', function() {
+    const res = flow.parser.parse('graph TD;A(( ));B((Test));C;style A background:#fff;style D border:1px solid red;');
+
+    const vert = flow.parser.yy.getVertices();
+
+    expect(vert['A'].text).toBe('');
+    expect(vert['B'].text).toBe('Test');
+    expect(vert['C'].text).toBe('C');
+    expect(vert['D'].text).toBe('D');
+  });
+
   it('should be possible to declare a class', function() {
     const res = flow.parser.parse(
       'graph TD;classDef exClass background:#bbb,border:1px solid red;'
diff --git a/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDb.js b/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDb.js
index 050691a6c..cb873147e 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDb.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDb.js
@@ -16,6 +16,25 @@ export const addActor = function(id, name, description) {
   actors[id] = { name: name, description: description };
 };
 
+const activationCount = part => {
+  let i = 0;
+  let count = 0;
+  for (i = 0; i < messages.length; i++) {
+    // console.warn(i, messages[i]);
+    if (messages[i].type === LINETYPE.ACTIVE_START) {
+      if (messages[i].from.actor === part) {
+        count++;
+      }
+    }
+    if (messages[i].type === LINETYPE.ACTIVE_END) {
+      if (messages[i].from.actor === part) {
+        count--;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return count;
+};
+
 export const addMessage = function(idFrom, idTo, message, answer) {
   messages.push({ from: idFrom, to: idTo, message: message, answer: answer });
 };
@@ -24,7 +43,25 @@ export const addSignal = function(idFrom, idTo, message, messageType) {
   logger.debug(
     'Adding message from=' + idFrom + ' to=' + idTo + ' message=' + message + ' type=' + messageType
   );
+
+  if (messageType === LINETYPE.ACTIVE_END) {
+    const cnt = activationCount(idFrom.actor);
+    logger.debug('Adding message from=', messages, cnt);
+    if (cnt < 1) {
+      // Bail out as there is an activation signal from an inactive participant
+      var error = new Error('Trying to inactivate an inactive participant (' + idFrom.actor + ')');
+      error.hash = {
+        text: '->>-',
+        token: '->>-',
+        line: '1',
+        loc: { first_line: 1, last_line: 1, first_column: 1, last_column: 1 },
+        expected: ["'ACTIVE_PARTICIPANT'"]
+      };
+      throw error;
+    }
+  }
   messages.push({ from: idFrom, to: idTo, message: message, type: messageType });
+  return true;
 };
 
 export const getMessages = function() {
diff --git a/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDiagram.spec.js b/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDiagram.spec.js
index 2f1832865..5b32c4627 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDiagram.spec.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDiagram.spec.js
@@ -214,6 +214,33 @@ describe('when parsing a sequenceDiagram', function() {
     expect(messages[7].type).toBe(parser.yy.LINETYPE.ACTIVE_END);
     expect(messages[7].from.actor).toBe('Carol');
   });
+  it('it should handle fail parsing when activating an inactive participant', function() {
+    const str =
+      `sequenceDiagram
+    participant user as End User
+    participant Server as Server
+    participant System as System
+    participant System2 as System2
+
+    user->>+Server: Test
+    user->>+Server: Test2
+    user->>System: Test
+    Server->>-user: Test
+    Server->>-user: Test2
+
+    %% The following deactivation of Server will fail
+    Server->>-user: Test3`;
+
+    let error = false;
+    try {
+      parser.parse(str);
+    } catch(e) {
+      console.log(e.hash);
+      error = true;
+    }
+    expect(error).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it('it should handle comments in a sequenceDiagram', function() {
     const str =
       'sequenceDiagram\n' +
diff --git a/src/diagrams/state/shapes.js b/src/diagrams/state/shapes.js
index f4711d493..d42228e41 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/state/shapes.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/state/shapes.js
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ const drawForkJoinState = (g, stateDef) => {
 
 export const drawText = function(elem, textData) {
   // Remove and ignore br:s
-  const nText = textData.text.replace(/<br\/?>/gi, ' ');
+  const nText = textData.text.replace(/<br\s*\/?>/gi, ' ');
 
   const textElem = elem.append('text');
   textElem.attr('x', textData.x);
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ const _drawLongText = (_text, x, y, g) => {
 
   let text = _text.replace(/\r\n/g, '<br/>');
   text = text.replace(/\n/g, '<br/>');
-  const lines = text.split(/<br\/?>/gi);
+  const lines = text.split(/<br\s*\/?>/gi);
 
   let tHeight = 1.25 * getConfig().state.noteMargin;
   for (const line of lines) {
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ export const drawState = function(elem, stateDef) {
 };
 
 const getRows = s => {
-  let str = s.replace(/<br\/?>/gi, '#br#');
+  let str = s.replace(/<br\s*\/?>/gi, '#br#');
   str = str.replace(/\\n/g, '#br#');
   return str.split('#br#');
 };
diff --git a/src/diagrams/state/stateDiagram.spec.js b/src/diagrams/state/stateDiagram.spec.js
index ee3152682..d609978ad 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/state/stateDiagram.spec.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/state/stateDiagram.spec.js
@@ -261,6 +261,16 @@ describe('state diagram, ', function() {
 
       parser.parse(str);
     });
+    it('should handle multiline notes with different line breaks', function() {
+      const str = `stateDiagram
+        State1
+        note right of State1
+          Line1<br>Line2<br/>Line3<br />Line4<br	/>Line5
+        end note
+      `;
+
+      parser.parse(str);
+    });
     it('should handle floating notes', function() {
       const str = `stateDiagram
         foo: bar
diff --git a/src/diagrams/state/stateRenderer.js b/src/diagrams/state/stateRenderer.js
index 4b152fe84..cec09a898 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/state/stateRenderer.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/state/stateRenderer.js
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ const getLabelWidth = text => {
 /* TODO: REMOVE DUPLICATION, SEE SHAPES */
 const getRows = s => {
   if (!s) return 1;
-  let str = s.replace(/<br\/?>/gi, '#br#');
+  let str = s.replace(/<br\s*\/?>/gi, '#br#');
   str = str.replace(/\\n/g, '#br#');
   return str.split('#br#');
 };
diff --git a/src/mermaid.js b/src/mermaid.js
index 08bf9af19..0cf24e81f 100644
--- a/src/mermaid.js
+++ b/src/mermaid.js
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ const init = function() {
     txt = he
       .decode(txt)
       .trim()
-      .replace(/<br>/gi, '<br/>');
+      .replace(/<br\s*\/?>/gi, '<br/>');
 
     mermaidAPI.render(
       id,
diff --git a/src/mermaidAPI.js b/src/mermaidAPI.js
index 975b38299..08c090261 100644
--- a/src/mermaidAPI.js
+++ b/src/mermaidAPI.js
@@ -52,14 +52,14 @@ for (const themeName of ['default', 'forest', 'dark', 'neutral']) {
  * <pre>
  * mermaid.initialize({
  *   flowchart:{
- *      htmlLabels: false
+ *     htmlLabels: false
  *   }
  * });
  * </pre>
  *
  * **Example 2:**
  * <pre>
- *  <script>
+ * &lt;script>
  *   var config = {
  *     startOnLoad:true,
  *     flowchart:{
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ for (const themeName of ['default', 'forest', 'dark', 'neutral']) {
  *     securityLevel:'loose',
  *   };
  *   mermaid.initialize(config);
- * </script>
+ * &lt;/script>
  * </pre>
  * A summary of all options and their defaults is found [here](https://github.com/knsv/mermaid/blob/master/docs/mermaidAPI.md#mermaidapi-configuration-defaults). A description of each option follows below.
  *
@@ -142,6 +142,20 @@ const config = {
      */
     htmlLabels: true,
 
+    /**
+     * Defines the spacing between nodes on the same level (meaning horizontal spacing for
+     * TB or BT graphs, and the vertical spacing for LR as well as RL graphs).
+     * **Default value 50**.
+     */
+    nodeSpacing: 50,
+
+    /**
+     * Defines the spacing between nodes on different levels (meaning vertical spacing for
+     * TB or BT graphs, and the horizontal spacing for LR as well as RL graphs).
+     * **Default value 50**.
+     */
+    rankSpacing: 50,
+
     /**
      * How mermaid renders curves for flowcharts. Possible values are
      *   * basis
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index 1e17366d1..de7718773 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -84,8 +84,7 @@ export const sanitize = (text, config) => {
     htmlLabels = false;
 
   if (config.securityLevel !== 'loose' && htmlLabels) { // eslint-disable-line
-    txt = txt.replace(/<br>/g, '#br#');
-    txt = txt.replace(/<br\S*?\/>/g, '#br#');
+    txt = txt.replace(/<br\s*\/?>/gi, '#br#');
     txt = txt.replace(/</g, '&lt;').replace(/>/g, '&gt;');
     txt = txt.replace(/=/g, '&equals;');
     txt = txt.replace(/#br#/g, '<br/>');