diff --git a/gemini.c b/gemini.c
index a9eab51..7758eff 100644
--- a/gemini.c
+++ b/gemini.c
@@ -167,10 +167,12 @@ rndr_link_ref(const struct gemini *st,
 static int
 rndr_escape(struct lowdown_buf *out, const char *buf, size_t sz)
 {
-	size_t	 i, start = 0;
+	size_t	 	 i, start = 0;
+	unsigned char	 ch;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < sz; i++) {
-		if (buf[i] == '\n') {
+		ch = (unsigned char)buf[i];
+		if (ch == '\n') {
 			if (!hbuf_put(out, buf + start, i - start))
 				return 0;
 			if (out->size && 
@@ -180,18 +182,15 @@ rndr_escape(struct lowdown_buf *out, const char *buf, size_t sz)
 			if (!hbuf_putc(out, ' '))
 				return 0;
 			start = i + 1;
-		} else if ((unsigned char) buf[i] < 0x80 && iscntrl((unsigned char)buf[i])) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "this is a control character: %x %x\n", (unsigned char)buf[i], buf[i]);
+		} else if (ch < 0x80 && iscntrl(ch)) {
 			if (!hbuf_put(out, buf + start, i - start))
 				return 0;
 			start = i + 1;
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (start < sz &&
-	    !hbuf_put(out, buf + start, sz - start))
+	if (start < sz && !hbuf_put(out, buf + start, sz - start))
 		return 0;
-
 	return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/term.c b/term.c
index 68dce25..59c3358 100644
--- a/term.c
+++ b/term.c
@@ -181,15 +181,17 @@ static ssize_t
 rndr_escape(struct term *term, struct lowdown_buf *out,
 	const char *buf, size_t sz)
 {
-	size_t	 i, start = 0, cols = 0;
-	ssize_t	 ret;
+	size_t		 i, start = 0, cols = 0;
+	ssize_t		 ret;
+	unsigned char	 ch;
 
 	/* Don't allow control characters through. */
 
-	for (i = 0; i < sz; i++)
-		if ((unsigned char)buf[i] < 0x80 && iscntrl((unsigned char)buf[i])) {
-			ret = rndr_mbswidth
-				(term, buf + start, i - start);
+	for (i = 0; i < sz; i++) {
+		ch = (unsigned char)buf[i];
+		if (ch < 0x80 && iscntrl(ch)) {
+			ret = rndr_mbswidth (term, buf + start,
+				i - start);
 			if (ret < 0)
 				return -1;
 			cols += ret;
@@ -197,6 +199,7 @@ rndr_escape(struct term *term, struct lowdown_buf *out,
 				return -1;
 			start = i + 1;
 		}
+	}
 
 	/* Remaining bytes. */
 
diff --git a/tree.c b/tree.c
index e3b5ac6..88229d6 100644
--- a/tree.c
+++ b/tree.c
@@ -82,25 +82,28 @@ rndr_indent(struct lowdown_buf *ob, size_t indent)
 static int
 rndr_short(struct lowdown_buf *ob, const struct lowdown_buf *b)
 {
-	size_t	 i;
+	size_t	 	 i;
+	unsigned char	 ch;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < 20 && i < b->size; i++)
-		if (b->data[i] == '\n') {
+	for (i = 0; i < 20 && i < b->size; i++) {
+		ch = (unsigned char)b->data[i];
+		if (ch == '\n') {
 			if (!HBUF_PUTSL(ob, "\\n"))
 				return 0;
-		} else if (b->data[i] == '\r') {
+		} else if (ch == '\r') {
 			if (!HBUF_PUTSL(ob, "\\r"))
 				return 0;
-		} else if (b->data[i] == '\t') {
+		} else if (ch == '\t') {
 			if (!HBUF_PUTSL(ob, "\\t"))
 				return 0;
-		} else if ((unsigned char)b->data[i] < 0x80 && iscntrl((unsigned char)b->data[i])) {
+		} else if (ch < 0x80 && iscntrl(ch)) {
 			if (!hbuf_putc(ob, '?'))
 				return 0;
 		} else {
 			if (!hbuf_putc(ob, b->data[i]))
 				return 0;
 		}
+	}
 
 	if (i < b->size && !HBUF_PUTSL(ob, "..."))
 		return 0;