diff --git a/proto/text_parser.go b/proto/text_parser.go
index f888f9b..4c0166f 100644
--- a/proto/text_parser.go
+++ b/proto/text_parser.go
@@ -304,13 +304,16 @@
 				// those three become *T, *string and []T respectively, so we can check for
 				// this field being a pointer to a non-string.
 				typ := st.Field(fi).Type
-				pt, ok := typ.(*reflect.PtrType)
-				if !ok {
-					break
-				}
-				_, ok = pt.Elem().(*reflect.StringType)
-				if ok {
-					break
+				if pt, ok := typ.(*reflect.PtrType); ok {
+					// *T or *string
+					if _, ok := pt.Elem().(*reflect.StringType); ok {
+						break
+					}
+				} else if st, ok := typ.(*reflect.SliceType); ok {
+					// []T or []*T
+					if _, ok := st.Elem().(*reflect.PtrType); !ok {
+						break
+					}
 				}
 				needColon = false
 			}
diff --git a/proto/text_parser_test.go b/proto/text_parser_test.go
index 96ec965..5382ac5 100644
--- a/proto/text_parser_test.go
+++ b/proto/text_parser_test.go
@@ -132,6 +132,20 @@
 		},
 	},
 
+	// Repeated message with/without colon and <>/{}
+	UnmarshalTextTest{
+		in: `count:42 others:{} others{} others:<> others:{}`,
+		out: &MyMessage{
+			Count: Int32(42),
+			Others: []*OtherMessage{
+				&OtherMessage{},
+				&OtherMessage{},
+				&OtherMessage{},
+				&OtherMessage{},
+			},
+		},
+	},
+
 	// Missing colon for inner message
 	UnmarshalTextTest{
 		in: `count:42 inner < host: "cauchy.syd" >`,