diff --git a/src/HTMLRenderer.h b/src/HTMLRenderer.h
index be4a94f..f0f31e1 100644
--- a/src/HTMLRenderer.h
+++ b/src/HTMLRenderer.h
@@ -183,7 +183,12 @@ class HTMLRenderer : public OutputDev
         // states
         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////
         // if we have a pending opened line
-        bool line_opened;
+        enum class LineStatus
+        {
+            CLOSED,
+            SPAN,
+            DIV
+        } line_status;
         
         // The order is according to the appearance in check_state_change
         // any state changed
diff --git a/src/HTMLRenderer/general.cc b/src/HTMLRenderer/general.cc
index 0d2a559..7dc823a 100644
--- a/src/HTMLRenderer/general.cc
+++ b/src/HTMLRenderer/general.cc
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ using boost::filesystem::remove;
 using boost::filesystem::filesystem_error;
 
 HTMLRenderer::HTMLRenderer(const Param * param)
-    :line_opened(false)
+    :line_status(LineStatus::CLOSED)
     ,image_count(0)
     ,param(param)
     ,dest_dir(param->dest_dir)
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ void HTMLRenderer::startPage(int pageNum, GfxState *state)
     this->pageWidth = state->getPageWidth();
     this->pageHeight = state->getPageHeight();
 
-    assert(!line_opened);
+    assert(line_status == LineStatus::CLOSED);
 
     html_fout << format("<div id=\"p%|1$x|\" class=\"p\" style=\"width:%2%px;height:%3%px;") % pageNum % pageWidth % pageHeight;
 
diff --git a/src/HTMLRenderer/state.cc b/src/HTMLRenderer/state.cc
index 66a19cf..ebd617f 100644
--- a/src/HTMLRenderer/state.cc
+++ b/src/HTMLRenderer/state.cc
@@ -244,10 +244,19 @@ void HTMLRenderer::reset_state_track()
 }
 void HTMLRenderer::close_cur_line()
 {
-    if(line_opened)
+    switch(line_status)
     {
-        html_fout << "</div>" << endl;
-        line_opened = false;
+        case LineStatus::SPAN:
+            html_fout << "</span>";
+            // fall through
+        case LineStatus::DIV:
+            html_fout << "</div>" << endl;
+            line_status = LineStatus::CLOSED;
+            break;
+
+        case LineStatus::CLOSED:
+        default:
+            break;
     }
 
     draw_ty = cur_ty + cur_rise;
diff --git a/src/HTMLRenderer/text.cc b/src/HTMLRenderer/text.cc
index cb5f474..5506a96 100644
--- a/src/HTMLRenderer/text.cc
+++ b/src/HTMLRenderer/text.cc
@@ -157,11 +157,17 @@ void HTMLRenderer::drawString(GfxState * state, GooString * s)
     check_state_change(state);
     
     // if the line is still open, try to merge with it
-    if(line_opened)
+    if(line_status != LineStatus::CLOSED)
     {
         double target = (cur_tx - draw_tx) * draw_scale;
-        if(target > -param->h_eps)
+        if(abs(target) < param->h_eps)
         {
+            // ignore it
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // don't close a pending span here, keep the styling
+
             if(target > param->h_eps)
             {
                 double w;
@@ -169,17 +175,16 @@ void HTMLRenderer::drawString(GfxState * state, GooString * s)
                 html_fout << format("<span class=\"_ _%|1$x|\"> </span>") % wid;
                 draw_tx += w / draw_scale;
             }
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            // shift left
-            // TODO, create a class for this
-            html_fout << format("<span style=\"margin-left:%1%px\"></span>") % target;
-            draw_tx += target / draw_scale;
+            else
+            {
+                // shift left
+                // TODO, create a class for this
+                html_fout << format("<span style=\"margin-left:%1%px\"></span>") % target;
+                draw_tx += target / draw_scale;
+            }
         }
     }
-
-    if(!line_opened)
+    else
     {
         // have to open a new line
         
@@ -222,7 +227,7 @@ void HTMLRenderer::drawString(GfxState * state, GooString * s)
 
         html_fout << "\">";
 
-        line_opened = true;
+        line_status = LineStatus::DIV;
     }
 
     // Now ready to output