diff --git a/packages/core/src/api/blockManipulation/commands/moveBlocks/moveBlocks.ts b/packages/core/src/api/blockManipulation/commands/moveBlocks/moveBlocks.ts
index bb2f08dfca..26774c3d24 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/api/blockManipulation/commands/moveBlocks/moveBlocks.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/api/blockManipulation/commands/moveBlocks/moveBlocks.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import type { BlockNoteEditor } from "../../../../editor/BlockNoteEditor";
 import { BlockIdentifier } from "../../../../schema/index.js";
 import { getNearestBlockPos } from "../../../getBlockInfoFromPos.js";
 import { getNodeById } from "../../../nodeUtil.js";
+import { insertBlocks } from "../insertBlocks/insertBlocks.js";
+import { removeAndInsertBlocks } from "../replaceBlocks/replaceBlocks.js";
 
 type BlockSelectionData = (
   | {
@@ -148,24 +150,26 @@ export function moveBlocks(
   referenceBlock: BlockIdentifier,
   placement: "before" | "after",
 ) {
-  editor.transact(() => {
-    // A `columnList` reference can be dissolved by `fixColumnList` when its
-    // `column`s are removed, leaving its ID invalid for re-insertion. Anchor
-    // to an adjacent block instead, which is unaffected by the removal.
-    const refBlock = editor.getBlock(referenceBlock);
-    if (refBlock?.type === "columnList") {
-      const adjacent =
-        placement === "after"
-          ? editor.getNextBlock(refBlock)
-          : editor.getPrevBlock(refBlock);
-      if (adjacent) {
-        referenceBlock = adjacent;
-        placement = placement === "after" ? "before" : "after";
-      }
-    }
-
-    editor.removeBlocks(blocks);
-    editor.insertBlocks(flattenColumns(blocks), referenceBlock, placement);
+  editor.transact((tr) => {
+    // Don't fix columns/columnLists in the removal step. Since a move is a
+    // rearrangement rather than a deletion, columns that it empties out are
+    // deliberately left as-is instead of being collapsed - this keeps moves
+    // free of side effects (and reversible by moving back), and matches
+    // dragging a block out of a column, which doesn't collapse it either.
+    // Fixing them mid-move also broke the following case:
+    // <column>
+    //  <paragraph></paragraph>
+    //  <paragraph>Paragraph</paragraph>
+    // </column>
+    // When the non-empty block is moved up, the column is seen as empty and
+    // collapsed in the removal step, so the following insertion fails.
+    removeAndInsertBlocks(tr, blocks, [], { fixColumns: false });
+    insertBlocks<any, any, any>(
+      tr,
+      flattenColumns(blocks),
+      referenceBlock,
+      placement,
+    );
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/api/blockManipulation/commands/replaceBlocks/replaceBlocks.ts b/packages/core/src/api/blockManipulation/commands/replaceBlocks/replaceBlocks.ts
index f1e946f909..a4f5b8da89 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/api/blockManipulation/commands/replaceBlocks/replaceBlocks.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/api/blockManipulation/commands/replaceBlocks/replaceBlocks.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ export function removeAndInsertBlocks<
   tr: Transaction,
   blocksToRemove: BlockIdentifier[],
   blocksToInsert: PartialBlock<BSchema, I, S>[],
+  options: {
+    fixColumns?: boolean;
+  } = {},
 ): {
   insertedBlocks: Block<BSchema, I, S>[];
   removedBlocks: Block<BSchema, I, S>[];
@@ -112,7 +115,12 @@ export function removeAndInsertBlocks<
     );
   }
 
-  columnListPositions.forEach((pos) => fixColumnList(tr, pos));
+  // Collapses empty columns/columnLists. Callers where the removal isn't a
+  // deletion can opt out - e.g. `moveBlocks` re-inserts the blocks elsewhere
+  // and deliberately leaves emptied columns as-is.
+  if (options.fixColumns !== false) {
+    columnListPositions.forEach((pos) => fixColumnList(tr, pos));
+  }
 
   // Converts the nodes created from `blocksToInsert` into full `Block`s.
   const insertedBlocks = nodesToInsert.map((node) =>
diff --git a/packages/xl-multi-column/src/test/commands/__snapshots__/moveBlocks.test.ts.snap b/packages/xl-multi-column/src/test/commands/__snapshots__/moveBlocks.test.ts.snap
index 4d6a2cf1f7..d9021ec0e0 100644
--- a/packages/xl-multi-column/src/test/commands/__snapshots__/moveBlocks.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/xl-multi-column/src/test/commands/__snapshots__/moveBlocks.test.ts.snap
@@ -1,5 +1,183 @@
 // Vitest Snapshot v1, https://vitest.dev/guide/snapshot.html
 
+exports[`Move past empty sibling within a column > Move down below empty sibling 1`] = `
+[
+  {
+    "children": [
+      {
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Text 0",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "text-0",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [],
+            "id": "empty-0",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "column-empty-0",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
+      },
+      {
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [],
+            "id": "empty-1",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Text 1",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "text-1",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "column-empty-1",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
+      },
+    ],
+    "content": undefined,
+    "id": "column-list-empty",
+    "props": {},
+    "type": "columnList",
+  },
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`Move past empty sibling within a column > Move up above empty sibling 1`] = `
+[
+  {
+    "children": [
+      {
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Text 0",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "text-0",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [],
+            "id": "empty-0",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "column-empty-0",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
+      },
+      {
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [],
+            "id": "empty-1",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Text 1",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "text-1",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "column-empty-1",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
+      },
+    ],
+    "content": undefined,
+    "id": "column-list-empty",
+    "props": {},
+    "type": "columnList",
+  },
+]
+`;
+
 exports[`Test moveBlocksDown > Move into column list 1`] = `
 [
   {
@@ -565,21 +743,60 @@ exports[`Test moveBlocksDown > Selection across columns 1`] = `
     "type": "paragraph",
   },
   {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
+    "children": [
       {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 0",
-        "type": "text",
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 0",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-0",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "column-0",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
+      },
+      {
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [],
+            "id": "1",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "0",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
       },
     ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-0",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
+    "content": undefined,
+    "id": "column-list-0",
+    "props": {},
+    "type": "columnList",
   },
   {
     "children": [],
@@ -2067,72 +2284,111 @@ exports[`Test moveBlocksUp > Selection across columns 1`] = `
     "type": "paragraph",
   },
   {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
-      {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 1",
-        "type": "text",
-      },
-    ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-1",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
-      {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 2",
-        "type": "text",
-      },
-    ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-2",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
+    "children": [
       {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 3",
-        "type": "text",
-      },
-    ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-3",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 1",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-1",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 2",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-2",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 3",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-3",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 0",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-0",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "column-0",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
+      },
       {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 0",
-        "type": "text",
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [],
+            "id": "1",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "0",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
       },
     ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-0",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
+    "content": undefined,
+    "id": "column-list-0",
+    "props": {},
+    "type": "columnList",
   },
   {
     "children": [],
@@ -2379,89 +2635,128 @@ exports[`Test moveBlocksUp > Selection starts in column, ends outside 1`] = `
     "type": "paragraph",
   },
   {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
-      {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 0",
-        "type": "text",
-      },
-    ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-0",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
-      {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 1",
-        "type": "text",
-      },
-    ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-1",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
-      {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 2",
-        "type": "text",
-      },
-    ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-2",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
+    "children": [
       {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 3",
-        "type": "text",
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 0",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-0",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 1",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-1",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 2",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-2",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 3",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-3",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Paragraph 2",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "paragraph-2",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "column-0",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
       },
-    ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-3",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
       {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Paragraph 2",
-        "type": "text",
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [],
+            "id": "0",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "column-1",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
       },
     ],
-    "id": "paragraph-2",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
+    "content": undefined,
+    "id": "column-list-0",
+    "props": {},
+    "type": "columnList",
   },
 ]
 `;
@@ -2521,89 +2816,128 @@ exports[`Test moveBlocksUp > Selection starts in first column, ends outside 1`]
     "type": "paragraph",
   },
   {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
-      {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 1",
-        "type": "text",
-      },
-    ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-1",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
-      {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 2",
-        "type": "text",
-      },
-    ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-2",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
-      {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 3",
-        "type": "text",
-      },
-    ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-3",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
+    "children": [
       {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Paragraph 2",
-        "type": "text",
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 1",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-1",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 2",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-2",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 3",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-3",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Paragraph 2",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "paragraph-2",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [
+              {
+                "styles": {},
+                "text": "Column Paragraph 0",
+                "type": "text",
+              },
+            ],
+            "id": "column-paragraph-0",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "column-0",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
       },
-    ],
-    "id": "paragraph-2",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
-  },
-  {
-    "children": [],
-    "content": [
       {
-        "styles": {},
-        "text": "Column Paragraph 0",
-        "type": "text",
+        "children": [
+          {
+            "children": [],
+            "content": [],
+            "id": "1",
+            "props": {
+              "backgroundColor": "default",
+              "textAlignment": "left",
+              "textColor": "default",
+            },
+            "type": "paragraph",
+          },
+        ],
+        "content": undefined,
+        "id": "0",
+        "props": {
+          "width": 1,
+        },
+        "type": "column",
       },
     ],
-    "id": "column-paragraph-0",
-    "props": {
-      "backgroundColor": "default",
-      "textAlignment": "left",
-      "textColor": "default",
-    },
-    "type": "paragraph",
+    "content": undefined,
+    "id": "column-list-0",
+    "props": {},
+    "type": "columnList",
   },
 ]
 `;
diff --git a/packages/xl-multi-column/src/test/commands/moveBlocks.test.ts b/packages/xl-multi-column/src/test/commands/moveBlocks.test.ts
index 156895be44..6970c6c036 100644
--- a/packages/xl-multi-column/src/test/commands/moveBlocks.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xl-multi-column/src/test/commands/moveBlocks.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { describe, expect, it } from "vite-plus/test";
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vite-plus/test";
 
 import { setupTestEnv } from "../setupTestEnv.js";
 
@@ -151,3 +151,48 @@ describe("Test moveBlocksDown", () => {
     expect(getEditor().document).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
 });
+
+describe("Move past empty sibling within a column", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    getEditor().replaceBlocks(getEditor().document, [
+      {
+        id: "column-list-empty",
+        type: "columnList",
+        children: [
+          {
+            id: "column-empty-0",
+            type: "column",
+            children: [
+              { id: "empty-0", type: "paragraph" },
+              { id: "text-0", type: "paragraph", content: "Text 0" },
+            ],
+          },
+          {
+            id: "column-empty-1",
+            type: "column",
+            children: [
+              { id: "empty-1", type: "paragraph" },
+              { id: "text-1", type: "paragraph", content: "Text 1" },
+            ],
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("Move up above empty sibling", () => {
+    getEditor().setTextCursorPosition("text-0");
+
+    expect(() => getEditor().moveBlocksUp()).not.toThrow();
+
+    expect(getEditor().document).toMatchSnapshot();
+  });
+
+  it("Move down below empty sibling", () => {
+    getEditor().setTextCursorPosition("empty-0");
+
+    expect(() => getEditor().moveBlocksDown()).not.toThrow();
+
+    expect(getEditor().document).toMatchSnapshot();
+  });
+});