diff --git a/inline.go b/inline.go
index ca7c6b1..ab58685 100644
--- a/inline.go
+++ b/inline.go
@@ -481,15 +481,17 @@ func link(p *parser, out *bytes.Buffer, data []byte, offset int) int {
 	}
 
 	var uLink []byte
-	if len(link) > 0 {
-		var uLinkBuf bytes.Buffer
-		unescapeText(&uLinkBuf, link)
-		uLink = uLinkBuf.Bytes()
-	}
+	if t == linkNormal || t == linkImg {
+		if len(link) > 0 {
+			var uLinkBuf bytes.Buffer
+			unescapeText(&uLinkBuf, link)
+			uLink = uLinkBuf.Bytes()
+		}
 
-	// links need something to click on and somewhere to go
-	if len(uLink) == 0 || (t == linkNormal && content.Len() == 0) {
-		return 0
+		// links need something to click on and somewhere to go
+		if len(uLink) == 0 || (t == linkNormal && content.Len() == 0) {
+			return 0
+		}
 	}
 
 	// call the relevant rendering function
diff --git a/inline_test.go b/inline_test.go
index 584a584..f621529 100644
--- a/inline_test.go
+++ b/inline_test.go
@@ -635,6 +635,9 @@ what happens here
 </ol>
 </div>
 `,
+
+		"empty footnote[^]\n\n[^]: fn text",
+		"<p>empty footnote<sup class=\"footnote-ref\" id=\"fnref:\"><a rel=\"footnote\" href=\"#fn:\">1</a></sup></p>\n<div class=\"footnotes\">\n\n<hr />\n\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:\">fn text\n</li>\n</ol>\n</div>\n",
 	}
 
 	doTestsInlineParam(t, tests, EXTENSION_FOOTNOTES, 0)
diff --git a/markdown.go b/markdown.go
index b0bf55e..8688683 100644
--- a/markdown.go
+++ b/markdown.go
@@ -508,7 +508,9 @@ func isReference(p *parser, data []byte, tabSize int) int {
 
 	// id matches are case-insensitive
 	id := string(bytes.ToLower(data[idOffset:idEnd]))
+
 	p.refs[id] = ref
+
 	return lineEnd
 }