diff --git a/packages/nuemark/src/parse-inline.js b/packages/nuemark/src/parse-inline.js
index fa22213c..6ac464f9 100644
--- a/packages/nuemark/src/parse-inline.js
+++ b/packages/nuemark/src/parse-inline.js
@@ -50,14 +50,40 @@ const PARSERS = [
     }
   },
 
-  // links
+  // [link](/), [tag], or [^footnote]
   (str, char0) => {
     if (char0 == '[') {
-      return parseLink(str) || parseLink(str, true)
+      const i = str.indexOf(']', 1)
+
+      if (i == -1) return { text: char0 }
+
+      // links
+      if ('([]'.includes(str[i + 1])) {
+        const link = parseLink(str) || parseLink(str, true)
+        if (link) return link
+      }
+
+      // parse tag
+      const tag = parseTag(str.slice(1, i).trim())
+      const { name } = tag
+      const end = i + 1
+
+      // footnote?
+      if (name[0] == '^') {
+        const rel = name.slice(1)
+        return rel >= 0 || isValidName(rel) ? { is_footnote: true, href: name, end } : { text: char0 }
+      }
+
+      // normal tag
+      if (name == '!' || isValidName(name)) return { is_tag: true, ...tag, end }
+
+
+
+      return { text: char0 }
     }
   },
 
-  // images
+  // ![image](/src.png)
   (str, char0) => {
     if (char0 == '!' && str[1] == '[') {
       const img = parseLink(str.slice(1))
@@ -69,22 +95,6 @@ const PARSERS = [
     }
   },
 
-
-  // [tag] or [^footnote]
-  (str, char0) => {
-    if (char0 == '[') {
-      const i = str.indexOf(']', 2)
-      if (i == -1) return { text: char0 }
-
-      const specs = str.slice(1, i).trim()
-      const tag = parseTag(specs)
-      const { name } = tag
-      const end = i + 1
-
-      return name[0] == '^' ? { is_footnote: true, href: name, end } : { is_tag: true, ...tag, end }
-    }
-  },
-
   // { variables } / { #id.classNames }
   (str, char0) => {
     if (char0 == '{') {
@@ -107,6 +117,19 @@ const PARSERS = [
   }
 ]
 
+
+function isValidName(name) {
+
+  // cannot be a number
+  if (name >= 0) return false
+
+  // cannot contain special characters
+  const i = name.search(/\W/)
+  const char = name[i]
+  return i == -1 || i > 0 && char == '-'
+}
+
+
 function empty(char) {
   return !char || char == ' '
 }
@@ -138,13 +161,15 @@ export function parseInline(str) {
 
 /*** utils ****/
 
+// function lastIndexOf()
+
 export function parseLink(str, is_reflink) {
   const [open, close] = is_reflink ? '[]' : '()'
-  let i = str.indexOf(']', 1)
+  let i = str.indexOf(']' + open, 1)
 
   // not a link
-  const next = str[i + 1]
-  if (next != open) return
+  // const next = str[i + 1]
+  if (i == -1) return
 
   let j = i > 0 ? str.indexOf(close, i + 2) : 0
 
diff --git a/packages/nuemark/test/block.test.js b/packages/nuemark/test/block.test.js
index 801d86f5..c24945d0 100644
--- a/packages/nuemark/test/block.test.js
+++ b/packages/nuemark/test/block.test.js
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ test('parse thematic break', () => {
   expect(getBreak('*** yo')).toBeUndefined()
 })
 
+test.only('parse  break', () => {
+  const html = renderLines(['***', '***Bold Italic***'])
+  console.info(html)
+})
+
 test('render thematic break', () => {
   expect(renderLines(['hello', '***'])).toBe('<p>hello</p>\n<hr>')
 })
diff --git a/packages/nuemark/test/inline.test.js b/packages/nuemark/test/inline.test.js
index 3694bd8a..f575dbf0 100644
--- a/packages/nuemark/test/inline.test.js
+++ b/packages/nuemark/test/inline.test.js
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ test('formatting', () => {
 
   for (const test of tests) {
     const [ chars, body, tag ] = test
-    const ret = parseInline(`A ${chars + body + chars} here`)
-    expect(ret[1].tag).toBe(tag)
-    expect(ret[1].body).toBe(body)
-    expect(ret.length).toBe(3)
+    const html = parseInline(`A ${chars + body + chars} here`)
+    expect(html[1].tag).toBe(tag)
+    expect(html[1].body).toBe(body)
+    expect(html.length).toBe(3)
   }
 })
 
@@ -108,6 +108,20 @@ test('parse reflink', () => {
   expect(link).toMatchObject({ href: 'world', title: 'now', label: 'Hello' })
 })
 
+
+test('bad component names', () => {
+  const tests = ['[(10)] [3 % 8]', '[-hey]', '[he+y] there']
+  for (const test of tests) {
+    const html = renderInline(test)
+    expect(html).toBe(test)
+  }
+})
+
+test('inline image tag', () => {
+  const html = renderInline('[! foo.svg]')
+  expect(html).toStartWith('<figure>')
+})
+
 test('complex label with an image', () => {
   const complex_label = 'Hey ![Cat](/cat.png)!'
   const link = `[${complex_label}](/link/ "lol")`
@@ -121,6 +135,7 @@ test('complex label with an image', () => {
   expect(html).toEndWith('alt="Cat" loading="lazy">!</a>')
 })
 
+
 test('parse complex Wikipedia-style link', () => {
   const [text, link, rest] = parseInline('Goto [label](/url/(master)) plan')
   expect(link.href).toBe('/url/(master)')
@@ -174,11 +189,19 @@ test('inline tag', () => {
 })
 
 test('inline tag with reflink', () => {
-  const [ tag, and, link] = parseInline('[tip] and [link][foo]')
+  const els = parseInline('[tip] and [link][foo]')
+  const [ tag, and, link] = els
   expect(tag.is_tag).toBeTrue()
   expect(link.is_reflink).toBeTrue()
 })
 
+
+test('links with tags', () => {
+  const html = renderInline('lol [[! yo.svg]](/)')
+  expect(html).toStartWith('lol <a href="/">')
+  expect(html).toEndWith('src="yo.svg"></figure></a>')
+})
+
 test('tag args', () => {
   const [ text, comp, rest] = parseInline('Hey [print foo] thing')
   expect(comp.name).toBe('print')