diff --git a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
index 86a30e70086..63d7bc4387f 100644
--- a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
+++ b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
@@ -1001,3 +1001,7 @@
 \providecommand*{\sphinxtableofcontents}{\tableofcontents}
 \providecommand*{\sphinxthebibliography}{\thebibliography}
 \providecommand*{\sphinxtheindex}{\theindex}
+
+% will be used to accompany quote environment and help avoid "too deeply nested"
+\newcommand*\SphinxDecreaseListDepth {\global\advance\@listdepth\m@ne}
+\newcommand*\SphinxIncreaseListDepth {\global\advance\@listdepth\@ne}
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/latex.py b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
index b667c0c9a33..18b2d8c52cf 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/latex.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
@@ -1304,12 +1304,14 @@ def depart_definition(self, node):
         self.body.append('\n')
 
     def visit_field_list(self, node):
-        self.body.append('\\begin{quote}\\begin{description}\n')
+        self.body.append('\\begin{quote}\\SphinxDecreaseListDepth'
+                         '\\begin{description}\n')
         if self.table:
             self.table.has_problematic = True
 
     def depart_field_list(self, node):
-        self.body.append('\\end{description}\\end{quote}\n')
+        self.body.append('\\end{description}\\end{quote}'
+                         '\\SphinxIncreaseListDepth\n')
 
     def visit_field(self, node):
         pass
@@ -1960,7 +1962,7 @@ def visit_block_quote(self, node):
                     isinstance(child, nodes.enumerated_list):
                 done = 1
         if not done:
-            self.body.append('\\begin{quote}\n')
+            self.body.append('\\begin{quote}\\SphinxDecreaseListDepth\n')
             if self.table:
                 self.table.has_problematic = True
 
@@ -1972,7 +1974,7 @@ def depart_block_quote(self, node):
                     isinstance(child, nodes.enumerated_list):
                 done = 1
         if not done:
-            self.body.append('\\end{quote}\n')
+            self.body.append('\\end{quote}\\SphinxIncreaseListDepth\n')
 
     # option node handling copied from docutils' latex writer