I proposed a fix [1] for this back in 2010, but it seems to have regressed again. `org-fill-paragraph' no longer makes use of a `fill-prefix', so filling things like email comments no longer works.
To test, launch =emacs -Q= and create a buffer with #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE > The > cat > in > the > hat #+END_EXAMPLE And press =M-q=. In `fundamental-mode', this results in #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE > The cat in the hat #+END_EXAMPLE In recent versions of org-mode, this results in #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE > The > cat > in > the > hat #+END_EXAMPLE I have tested the following versions of org-mode: | Mode | Working | |----------------------------------+---------| | fundamental-mode | Yes | | org 7.9.3f (Emacs 24.3.1) | No | | org 8.0 (20130727.224 from MELPA | No | | 7.8.11 (Emacs 24.2.1) | Yes | |----------------------------------+---------| P.S. I'm not subscribed to the list, so please CC me in replies. [1] http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.orgmode/22705 -- Daniel Hackney