diff --git a/html.go b/html.go
index b2d9314..2390e32 100644
--- a/html.go
+++ b/html.go
@@ -374,12 +374,12 @@ func (options *Html) Paragraph(out *bytes.Buffer, text func() bool) {
 	out.WriteString("</p>\n")
 }
 
-func (options *Html) AutoLink(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, kind int) bool {
+func (options *Html) AutoLink(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, kind int) {
 	if len(link) == 0 {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 	if options.flags&HTML_SAFELINK != 0 && !isSafeLink(link) && kind != LINK_TYPE_EMAIL {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 
 	out.WriteString("<a href=\"")
@@ -404,44 +404,39 @@ func (options *Html) AutoLink(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, kind int) bool {
 	}
 
 	out.WriteString("</a>")
-
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Html) CodeSpan(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Html) CodeSpan(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.WriteString("<code>")
 	attrEscape(out, text)
 	out.WriteString("</code>")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Html) DoubleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Html) DoubleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	if len(text) == 0 {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 	out.WriteString("<strong>")
 	out.Write(text)
 	out.WriteString("</strong>")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Html) Emphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Html) Emphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	if len(text) == 0 {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 	out.WriteString("<em>")
 	out.Write(text)
 	out.WriteString("</em>")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Html) Image(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, alt []byte) bool {
+func (options *Html) Image(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, alt []byte) {
 	if options.flags&HTML_SKIP_IMAGES != 0 {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 
 	if len(link) == 0 {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 	out.WriteString("<img src=\"")
 	attrEscape(out, link)
@@ -456,22 +451,21 @@ func (options *Html) Image(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, alt []b
 
 	out.WriteByte('"')
 	out.WriteString(options.closeTag)
-	return true
+	return
 }
 
-func (options *Html) LineBreak(out *bytes.Buffer) bool {
+func (options *Html) LineBreak(out *bytes.Buffer) {
 	out.WriteString("<br")
 	out.WriteString(options.closeTag)
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Html) Link(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, content []byte) bool {
+func (options *Html) Link(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, content []byte) {
 	if options.flags&HTML_SKIP_LINKS != 0 {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 
 	if options.flags&HTML_SAFELINK != 0 && !isSafeLink(link) {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 
 	out.WriteString("<a href=\"")
@@ -483,44 +477,41 @@ func (options *Html) Link(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, content
 	out.WriteString("\">")
 	out.Write(content)
 	out.WriteString("</a>")
-	return true
+	return
 }
 
-func (options *Html) RawHtmlTag(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Html) RawHtmlTag(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	if options.flags&HTML_SKIP_HTML != 0 {
-		return true
+		return
 	}
 	if options.flags&HTML_SKIP_STYLE != 0 && isHtmlTag(text, "style") {
-		return true
+		return
 	}
 	if options.flags&HTML_SKIP_LINKS != 0 && isHtmlTag(text, "a") {
-		return true
+		return
 	}
 	if options.flags&HTML_SKIP_IMAGES != 0 && isHtmlTag(text, "img") {
-		return true
+		return
 	}
 	out.Write(text)
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Html) TripleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Html) TripleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	if len(text) == 0 {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 	out.WriteString("<strong><em>")
 	out.Write(text)
 	out.WriteString("</em></strong>")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Html) StrikeThrough(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Html) StrikeThrough(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	if len(text) == 0 {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 	out.WriteString("<del>")
 	out.Write(text)
 	out.WriteString("</del>")
-	return true
 }
 
 func (options *Html) Entity(out *bytes.Buffer, entity []byte) {
diff --git a/inline.go b/inline.go
index 88f0bdd..cf13db1 100644
--- a/inline.go
+++ b/inline.go
@@ -139,9 +139,7 @@ func inlineCodeSpan(parser *Parser, out *bytes.Buffer, data []byte, offset int)
 	}
 
 	// render the code span
-	if !parser.r.CodeSpan(out, data[fBegin:fEnd]) {
-		end = 0
-	}
+	parser.r.CodeSpan(out, data[fBegin:fEnd])
 
 	return end
 
@@ -164,13 +162,8 @@ func inlineLineBreak(parser *Parser, out *bytes.Buffer, data []byte, offset int)
 		return 0
 	}
 
-	if parser.r.LineBreak(out) {
-		return 1
-	} else {
-		return 0
-	}
-
-	return 0
+	parser.r.LineBreak(out)
+	return 1
 }
 
 // '[': parse a link or an image
@@ -415,8 +408,12 @@ func inlineLink(parser *Parser, out *bytes.Buffer, data []byte, offset int) int
 		uLink = uLinkBuf.Bytes()
 	}
 
+	// links need something to click on and somewhere to go
+	if len(uLink) == 0 || content.Len() == 0 {
+		return 0
+	}
+
 	// call the relevant rendering function
-	ret := false
 	if isImg {
 		outSize := out.Len()
 		outBytes := out.Bytes()
@@ -424,15 +421,12 @@ func inlineLink(parser *Parser, out *bytes.Buffer, data []byte, offset int) int
 			out.Truncate(outSize - 1)
 		}
 
-		ret = parser.r.Image(out, uLink, title, content.Bytes())
+		parser.r.Image(out, uLink, title, content.Bytes())
 	} else {
-		ret = parser.r.Link(out, uLink, title, content.Bytes())
+		parser.r.Link(out, uLink, title, content.Bytes())
 	}
 
-	if ret {
-		return i
-	}
-	return 0
+	return i
 }
 
 // '<' when tags or autolinks are allowed
@@ -440,21 +434,17 @@ func inlineLAngle(parser *Parser, out *bytes.Buffer, data []byte, offset int) in
 	data = data[offset:]
 	altype := LINK_TYPE_NOT_AUTOLINK
 	end := tagLength(data, &altype)
-	ret := false
 
 	if end > 2 {
 		if altype != LINK_TYPE_NOT_AUTOLINK {
 			var uLink bytes.Buffer
 			unescapeText(&uLink, data[1:end+1-2])
-			ret = parser.r.AutoLink(out, uLink.Bytes(), altype)
+			parser.r.AutoLink(out, uLink.Bytes(), altype)
 		} else {
-			ret = parser.r.RawHtmlTag(out, data[:end])
+			parser.r.RawHtmlTag(out, data[:end])
 		}
 	}
 
-	if !ret {
-		return 0
-	}
 	return end
 }
 
@@ -867,11 +857,8 @@ func inlineHelperEmph1(parser *Parser, out *bytes.Buffer, data []byte, c byte) i
 
 			var work bytes.Buffer
 			parser.parseInline(&work, data[:i])
-			if parser.r.Emphasis(out, work.Bytes()) {
-				return i + 1
-			} else {
-				return 0
-			}
+			parser.r.Emphasis(out, work.Bytes())
+			return i + 1
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -891,19 +878,14 @@ func inlineHelperEmph2(parser *Parser, out *bytes.Buffer, data []byte, c byte) i
 		if i+1 < len(data) && data[i] == c && data[i+1] == c && i > 0 && !isspace(data[i-1]) {
 			var work bytes.Buffer
 			parser.parseInline(&work, data[:i])
-			success := false
 
 			// pick the right renderer
 			if c == '~' {
-				success = parser.r.StrikeThrough(out, work.Bytes())
+				parser.r.StrikeThrough(out, work.Bytes())
 			} else {
-				success = parser.r.DoubleEmphasis(out, work.Bytes())
-			}
-			if success {
-				return i + 2
-			} else {
-				return 0
+				parser.r.DoubleEmphasis(out, work.Bytes())
 			}
+			return i + 2
 		}
 		i++
 	}
@@ -933,11 +915,8 @@ func inlineHelperEmph3(parser *Parser, out *bytes.Buffer, data []byte, offset in
 			var work bytes.Buffer
 
 			parser.parseInline(&work, data[:i])
-			if parser.r.TripleEmphasis(out, work.Bytes()) {
-				return i + 3
-			} else {
-				return 0
-			}
+			parser.r.TripleEmphasis(out, work.Bytes())
+			return i + 3
 		case (i+1 < len(data) && data[i+1] == c):
 			// double symbol found, hand over to emph1
 			length = inlineHelperEmph1(parser, out, origData[offset-2:], c)
diff --git a/inline_test.go b/inline_test.go
index ba60e01..28ca10c 100644
--- a/inline_test.go
+++ b/inline_test.go
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ func TestInlineLink(t *testing.T) {
 		"<p><a href=\"/bar/ title with no quotes\">foo with a title</a></p>\n",
 
 		"[foo]()\n",
-		"<p><a href=\"\">foo</a></p>\n",
+		"<p>[foo]()</p>\n",
 
 		"![foo](/bar/)\n",
 		"<p><img src=\"/bar/\" alt=\"foo\" />\n</p>\n",
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ func TestInlineLink(t *testing.T) {
 		"<p><img src=\"/bar/ title with no quotes\" alt=\"foo with a title\" />\n</p>\n",
 
 		"![foo]()\n",
-		"<p>[foo]()</p>\n",
+		"<p>![foo]()</p>\n",
 
 		"[a link]\t(/with_a_tab/)\n",
 		"<p><a href=\"/with_a_tab/\">a link</a></p>\n",
diff --git a/latex.go b/latex.go
index 7739746..45cf755 100644
--- a/latex.go
+++ b/latex.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func (options *Latex) TableCell(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte, align int) {
 	out.Write(text)
 }
 
-func (options *Latex) AutoLink(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, kind int) bool {
+func (options *Latex) AutoLink(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, kind int) {
 	out.WriteString("\\href{")
 	if kind == LINK_TYPE_EMAIL {
 		out.WriteString("mailto:")
@@ -160,31 +160,27 @@ func (options *Latex) AutoLink(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, kind int) bool {
 	out.WriteString("}{")
 	out.Write(link)
 	out.WriteString("}")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Latex) CodeSpan(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Latex) CodeSpan(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.WriteString("\\texttt{")
 	escapeSpecialChars(out, text)
 	out.WriteString("}")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Latex) DoubleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Latex) DoubleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.WriteString("\\textbf{")
 	out.Write(text)
 	out.WriteString("}")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Latex) Emphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Latex) Emphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.WriteString("\\textit{")
 	out.Write(text)
 	out.WriteString("}")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Latex) Image(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, alt []byte) bool {
+func (options *Latex) Image(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, alt []byte) {
 	if bytes.HasPrefix(link, []byte("http://")) || bytes.HasPrefix(link, []byte("https://")) {
 		// treat it like a link
 		out.WriteString("\\href{")
@@ -197,39 +193,33 @@ func (options *Latex) Image(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, alt []
 		out.Write(link)
 		out.WriteString("}")
 	}
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Latex) LineBreak(out *bytes.Buffer) bool {
+func (options *Latex) LineBreak(out *bytes.Buffer) {
 	out.WriteString(" \\\\\n")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Latex) Link(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, content []byte) bool {
+func (options *Latex) Link(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, content []byte) {
 	out.WriteString("\\href{")
 	out.Write(link)
 	out.WriteString("}{")
 	out.Write(content)
 	out.WriteString("}")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Latex) RawHtmlTag(out *bytes.Buffer, tag []byte) bool {
-	return true
+func (options *Latex) RawHtmlTag(out *bytes.Buffer, tag []byte) {
 }
 
-func (options *Latex) TripleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Latex) TripleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.WriteString("\\textbf{\\textit{")
 	out.Write(text)
 	out.WriteString("}}")
-	return true
 }
 
-func (options *Latex) StrikeThrough(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool {
+func (options *Latex) StrikeThrough(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) {
 	out.WriteString("\\sout{")
 	out.Write(text)
 	out.WriteString("}")
-	return true
 }
 
 func needsBackslash(c byte) bool {
diff --git a/markdown.go b/markdown.go
index 2041f3b..754d010 100644
--- a/markdown.go
+++ b/markdown.go
@@ -114,17 +114,17 @@ type Renderer interface {
 	TableRow(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte)
 	TableCell(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte, flags int)
 
-	// Span-level callbacks---return false prints the span verbatim
-	AutoLink(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, kind int) bool
-	CodeSpan(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool
-	DoubleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool
-	Emphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool
-	Image(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, alt []byte) bool
-	LineBreak(out *bytes.Buffer) bool
-	Link(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, content []byte) bool
-	RawHtmlTag(out *bytes.Buffer, tag []byte) bool
-	TripleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool
-	StrikeThrough(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte) bool
+	// Span-level callbacks
+	AutoLink(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, kind int)
+	CodeSpan(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte)
+	DoubleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte)
+	Emphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte)
+	Image(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, alt []byte)
+	LineBreak(out *bytes.Buffer)
+	Link(out *bytes.Buffer, link []byte, title []byte, content []byte)
+	RawHtmlTag(out *bytes.Buffer, tag []byte)
+	TripleEmphasis(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte)
+	StrikeThrough(out *bytes.Buffer, text []byte)
 
 	// Low-level callbacks
 	Entity(out *bytes.Buffer, entity []byte)
diff --git a/upskirtref/Links, inline style.html b/upskirtref/Links, inline style.html
index f36607d..5802f2d 100644
--- a/upskirtref/Links, inline style.html	
+++ b/upskirtref/Links, inline style.html	
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@
 
 <p><a href="/url/" title="title has spaces afterward">URL and title</a>.</p>
 
-<p><a href="">Empty</a>.</p>
+<p>[Empty]().</p>