diff --git a/docs/sphinx/qapidoc.py b/docs/sphinx/qapidoc.py
index 16ad15fe94..54a32e45f7 100644
--- a/docs/sphinx/qapidoc.py
+++ b/docs/sphinx/qapidoc.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 import re
 import sys
+import textwrap
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 from docutils import nodes
@@ -150,8 +151,15 @@ def add_lines(
         self,
         content: str,
         info: QAPISourceInfo,
+        dedent: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         lines = content.splitlines(True)
+
+        if dedent:
+            lines = textwrap.dedent(content).splitlines(True)
+        else:
+            lines = content.splitlines(True)
+
         for i, line in enumerate(lines):
             self.add_line_raw(line, info.fname, info.line + i)
 
@@ -223,13 +231,16 @@ def reformat_arobase(text: str) -> str:
 
     # Transmogrification helpers
 
-    def visit_paragraph(self, section: QAPIDoc.Section) -> None:
+    def visit_plaintext(self, section: QAPIDoc.Section) -> None:
         # Squelch empty paragraphs.
         if not section.text:
             return
 
+        # Intro sections, which are indented in QAPI source, need to
+        # be dedented to avoid accidental block quotes in ReST syntax.
+        dedent = bool(section.kind == QAPIDoc.Kind.INTRO)
         self.ensure_blank_line()
-        self.add_lines(section.text, section.info)
+        self.add_lines(section.text, section.info, dedent)
         self.ensure_blank_line()
 
     def visit_member(self, section: QAPIDoc.ArgSection) -> None:
@@ -373,7 +384,7 @@ def visit_sections(self, ent: QAPISchemaDefinition) -> None:
             section.text = self.reformat_arobase(section.text)
 
             if section.kind.name in ("PLAIN", "INTRO"):
-                self.visit_paragraph(section)
+                self.visit_plaintext(section)
             elif section.kind == QAPIDoc.Kind.MEMBER:
                 assert isinstance(section, QAPIDoc.ArgSection)
                 if section.name == "q_dummy":