diff --git a/wp-includes/default-filters.php b/wp-includes/default-filters.php
index d596500330..9a34aebc08 100644
--- a/wp-includes/default-filters.php
+++ b/wp-includes/default-filters.php
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ add_filter('comment_url', 'clean_url');
 
 add_filter('comment_text', 'convert_chars');
 add_filter('comment_text', 'make_clickable');
+add_filter('comment_text', 'force_balance_tags', 25);
 add_filter('comment_text', 'wpautop', 30);
 add_filter('comment_text', 'convert_smilies', 20);
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/formatting.php b/wp-includes/formatting.php
index 7d52ed9e6b..bb6ea45632 100644
--- a/wp-includes/formatting.php
+++ b/wp-includes/formatting.php
@@ -505,6 +505,9 @@ function balanceTags($text, $is_comment = 0, $force = false) {
 	return $newtext;
 }
 
+function force_balance_tags($text) {
+	return balanceTags($text, 0, true);
+}
 
 function format_to_edit($content, $richedit = false) {
 	$content = apply_filters('format_to_edit', $content);