diff --git a/generate.c b/generate.c
index eded9c7..e8f8ffc 100644
--- a/generate.c
+++ b/generate.c
@@ -602,16 +602,19 @@ linkyformat(MMIOT *f, Cstring text, int image, Footnote *ref)
 
     if ( image )
 	tag = &imaget;
-    else if ( (f->flags & NO_PSEUDO_PROTO) || (tag = pseudo(ref->link)) == 0 ) {
+    else if ( tag = pseudo(ref->link) ) {
+	if ( f->flags & (NO_PSEUDO_PROTO|SAFELINK) )
+	    return 0;
+    }
+    else if ( (f->flags & SAFELINK) && T(ref->link)
+				    && (T(ref->link)[0] != '/')
+				    && !isautoprefix(T(ref->link)) )
 	/* if SAFELINK, only accept links that are local or
 	 * a well-known protocol
 	 */
-	if ( (f->flags & SAFELINK) && T(ref->link)
-				   && (T(ref->link)[0] != '/')
-				   && !isautoprefix(T(ref->link)) )
 	    return 0;
+    else
 	tag = &linkt;
-    }
 
     if ( f->flags & tag->flags )
 	return 0;
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index ce98ffd..8d91f31 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ static struct {
     { "strict",  0, MKD_STRICT   },
     { "header",  1, MKD_NOHEADER },
     { "html",    1, MKD_NOHTML   },
+    { "ext",     1, MKD_NO_EXT   },
     { "cdata",   0, MKD_CDATA    },
     { "pants",   1, MKD_NOPANTS  },
     { "smarty",  1, MKD_NOPANTS  },
diff --git a/tests/autolink.t b/tests/autolink.t
index acf1f27..f1cb56f 100644
--- a/tests/autolink.t
+++ b/tests/autolink.t
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 rc=0
 
 try() {
-    
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/automatic.t b/tests/automatic.t
index a5b9ccc..89c3e6a 100644
--- a/tests/automatic.t
+++ b/tests/automatic.t
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
 try() {
-    
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/backslash.t b/tests/backslash.t
index 9621cf5..8fde539 100644
--- a/tests/backslash.t
+++ b/tests/backslash.t
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
 try() {
-    
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/code.t b/tests/code.t
index 49dc5dd..ed460f9 100644
--- a/tests/code.t
+++ b/tests/code.t
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
 try() {
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/flow.t b/tests/flow.t
index f352524..3541727 100644
--- a/tests/flow.t
+++ b/tests/flow.t
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
 try() {
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/header.t b/tests/header.t
index 77d7d33..6c24a1a 100644
--- a/tests/header.t
+++ b/tests/header.t
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
 try() {
-    
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/linkylinky.t b/tests/linkylinky.t
index aee53d0..07d77c8 100644
--- a/tests/linkylinky.t
+++ b/tests/linkylinky.t
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
 try() {
-    
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/misc.t b/tests/misc.t
index b28d040..e437a87 100644
--- a/tests/misc.t
+++ b/tests/misc.t
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
 try() {
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/pandoc.t b/tests/pandoc.t
index 51b6e97..9c1e7fb 100644
--- a/tests/pandoc.t
+++ b/tests/pandoc.t
@@ -3,94 +3,72 @@
 rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
+try() {
+    unset FLAGS
+    case "$1" in
+    -*) FLAGS=$1
+	shift ;;
+    esac
+
+    ./echo -n "  $1" '..................................' | ./cols 36
+
+    Q=`./echo "$2" | ./markdown $FLAGS`
+
+
+    if [ "$3" = "$Q" ]; then
+	./echo " ok"
+    else
+	./echo " FAILED"
+	./echo "wanted: $3"
+	./echo "got   : $Q"
+	rc=1
+    fi
+}
+
+
+HEADER='% title
+% author(s)
+% date'
+
+
 if ./markdown -V | grep HEADER > /dev/null; then
 
-    ./echo -n '  valid header ..................... '
-    TEXT='% title
+    try 'valid header' "$HEADER" ''
+    try -F0x0100 'valid header with -F0x0100' "$HEADER" '<p>% title
 % author(s)
-% date
-'
-    count=`./echo "$TEXT" | ./markdown | grep title | wc -l`
+% date</p>'
 
-    if [ "$count" -eq 0 ]; then
-	./echo "ok"
-    else
-	./echo "FAILED"
-	rc=1
-    fi
-
-    ./echo -n '  valid header with -F0x0100........ '
-    TEXT='% title
+    try 'invalid header' \
+	'% title
 % author(s)
-% date
-'
-    count=`./echo "$TEXT" | ./markdown -F0x0100 | grep title | wc -l`
-
-    if [ "$count" -gt 0 ]; then
-	./echo "ok"
-    else
-	./echo "FAILED"
-	rc=1
-    fi
-
-    ./echo -n '  invalid header ................... '
-    TEXT='% title
+a pony!' \
+	'<p>% title
 % author(s)
-a pony!'
+a pony!</p>'
 
-    count=`./echo "$TEXT" | ./markdown | grep title | wc -l`
-
-    if [ "$count" -gt 0 ]; then
-	./echo "ok"
-    else
-	./echo "FAILED"
-	rc=1
-    fi
-
-    ./echo -n '  offset header .................... '
-    TEXT='
+    try 'offset header' \
+	'
 % title
 % author(s)
-% date
-content'
-
-    count=`./echo "$TEXT" | ./markdown | grep title | wc -l`
-
-    if [ "$count" -gt 0 ]; then
-	./echo "ok"
-    else
-	./echo "FAILED"
-	rc=1
-    fi
-
-    ./echo -n '  indented header .................. '
-    TEXT='    % title
-    % author(s)
-    % date
-content'
-
-    count=`./echo "$TEXT" | ./markdown | grep title | wc -l`
-
-    if [ "$count" -gt 0 ]; then
-	./echo "ok"
-    else
-	./echo "FAILED"
-	rc=1
-    fi
-else
-    ./echo -n '  ignore headers ................... '
-    TEXT='% title
+% date' \
+	'<p>% title
 % author(s)
-% date
-'
-    count=`./echo "$TEXT" | ./markdown | grep title | wc -l`
+% date</p>'
+
+    try 'indented header' \
+	'  % title
+% author(s)
+% date' \
+	'<p>  % title
+% author(s)
+% date</p>'
+
+else
+
+    try 'ignore headers' "$HEADER" '<p>% title
+% author(s)
+% date</p>'
 
-    if [ "$count" -gt 0 ]; then
-	./echo "ok"
-    else
-	./echo "FAILED"
-	rc=1
-    fi
 fi
 
 exit $rc
diff --git a/tests/para.t b/tests/para.t
index 6fbaa66..d867454 100644
--- a/tests/para.t
+++ b/tests/para.t
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
 try() {
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/paranoia.t b/tests/paranoia.t
index 2312dac..f2b1024 100644
--- a/tests/paranoia.t
+++ b/tests/paranoia.t
@@ -3,30 +3,29 @@
 rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
-./echo -n '  bogus url (-fsafelink) ........... '
+try() {
+    unset FLAGS
+    case "$1" in
+    -*) FLAGS=$1
+	shift ;;
+    esac
+    
+    ./echo -n "  $1" '..................................' | ./cols 36
 
-TRICK='[test](bad:protocol)'
+    Q=`./echo "$2" | ./markdown $FLAGS`
 
-count=`./echo "$TRICK" | ./markdown -fsafelink | grep '<a' | wc -l`
 
-if [ $count -eq 0 ]; then
-    ./echo "ok"
-else
-    ./echo "FAILED"
-    rc=1
-fi
+    if [ "$3" = "$Q" ]; then
+	./echo " ok"
+    else
+	./echo " FAILED"
+	./echo "wanted: $3"
+	./echo "got   : $Q"
+	rc=1
+    fi
+}
 
-./echo -n '  bogus url (-fnosafelink) ......... '
-
-TRICK='[test](bad:protocol)'
-
-count=`./echo "$TRICK" | ./markdown -fnosafelink | grep '<a' | wc -l`
-
-if [ $count -eq 1 ]; then
-    ./echo "ok"
-else
-    ./echo "FAILED"
-    rc=1
-fi
+try -fsafelink 'bogus url (-fsafelink)' '[test](bad:protocol)' '<p>[test](bad:protocol)</p>'
+try -fnosafelink 'bogus url (-fnosafelink)' '[test](bad:protocol)' '<p><a href="bad:protocol">test</a></p>'
 
 exit $rc
diff --git a/tests/pseudo.t b/tests/pseudo.t
index 8e165cc..e2d8b76 100644
--- a/tests/pseudo.t
+++ b/tests/pseudo.t
@@ -3,74 +3,33 @@
 rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
-./echo -n '  [](id:) links .................... '
+try() {
+    unset FLAGS
+    case "$1" in
+    -*) FLAGS=$1
+	shift ;;
+    esac
+    
+    ./echo -n "  $1" '..................................' | ./cols 36
 
-ASK=`./echo '[foo](id:bar)' | ./markdown`
-if ./echo "$ASK" | grep '<a id="bar">foo</a>' >/dev/null; then
-    ./echo "ok"
-else
-    ./echo "FAILED"
-    rc=1
-fi
+    Q=`./echo "$2" | ./markdown $FLAGS`
 
-./echo -n '  [](id:) links with MKD_NO_EXT .... '
 
-ASK=`./echo '[foo](id:bar)' | MARKDOWN_FLAGS=0x0040 ./markdown`
-if ./echo "$ASK" | grep '<a id="bar">foo</a>' >/dev/null; then
-    ./echo "FAILED"
-    rc=1
-else
-    ./echo "ok"
-fi
+    if [ "$3" = "$Q" ]; then
+	./echo " ok"
+    else
+	./echo " FAILED"
+	./echo "wanted: $3"
+	./echo "got   : $Q"
+	rc=1
+    fi
+}
 
-./echo -n '  [](class:) links ................. '
-
-ASK=`./echo '[foo](class:bar)' | ./markdown`
-
-if ./echo "$ASK" | grep '<span class="bar">foo</span>' >/dev/null; then
-    ./echo "ok"
-else
-    ./echo "FAILED"
-    rc=1
-fi
-
-./echo -n '  [](class:) links with MKD_NO_EXT . '
-
-ASK=`./echo '[foo](class:bar)' | MARKDOWN_FLAGS=0x0040 ./markdown`
-
-if ./echo "$ASK" | grep '<span class="bar">foo</span>' >/dev/null; then
-    ./echo "FAILED"
-    rc=1
-else
-    ./echo "ok"
-fi
-
-./echo -n '  [](raw:) links ................... '
-
-ASK=`./echo '[foo](raw:bar)' | ./markdown`
-
-count1=`./echo "$ASK" | grep foo | wc -l`
-count2=`./echo "$ASK" | grep bar | wc -l`
-
-if [ "$count1" -eq 0 -a "$count2" -eq 1 ]; then
-    ./echo "ok"
-else
-    ./echo "FAILED"
-    rc=1
-fi
-
-./echo -n '  [](raw:) links with MKD_NO_EXT ... '
-
-ASK=`./echo '[foo](raw:bar)' | MARKDOWN_FLAGS=0x0040 ./markdown`
-
-count1=`./echo "$ASK" | grep 'raw:bar' | wc -l`
-count2=`./echo "$ASK" | grep 'a href' | wc -l`
-
-if [ \( "$count1" -gt 0 \) -a \( "$count2" -gt 0 \) ]; then
-    ./echo "ok"
-else
-    ./echo "FAILED"
-    rc=1
-fi
+try '[](id:) links' '[foo](id:bar)' '<p><a id="bar">foo</a></p>'
+try -fnoext  '[](id:) links with -fnoext' '[foo](id:bar)' '<p>[foo](id:bar)</p>'
+try '[](class:) links' '[foo](class:bar)' '<p><span class="bar">foo</span></p>'
+try -fnoext '[](class:) links with -fnoext' '[foo](class:bar)' '<p>[foo](class:bar)</p>'
+try '[](raw:) links' '[foo](raw:bar)' '<p>bar</p>'
+try -fnoext '[](raw:) links with -fnoext' '[foo](raw:bar)' '<p>[foo](raw:bar)</p>'
 
 exit $rc
diff --git a/tests/reparse.t b/tests/reparse.t
index c3381d2..b6bebd8 100644
--- a/tests/reparse.t
+++ b/tests/reparse.t
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 rc=0
 
 try() {
-    
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/schiraldi.t b/tests/schiraldi.t
index c2e1457..5f519a9 100644
--- a/tests/schiraldi.t
+++ b/tests/schiraldi.t
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
 try() {
-    
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/smarty.t b/tests/smarty.t
index 4d44d05..e3e6e34 100644
--- a/tests/smarty.t
+++ b/tests/smarty.t
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=0x0; export MARKDOWN_FLAGS
 
 try() {
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS="$1"
 	shift ;;
diff --git a/tests/snakepit.t b/tests/snakepit.t
index d6fdcb0..d1f4055 100644
--- a/tests/snakepit.t
+++ b/tests/snakepit.t
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ rc=0
 MARKDOWN_FLAGS=
 
 try() {
-    
+    unset FLAGS
     case "$1" in
     -*) FLAGS=$1
 	shift ;;