diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_status.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_status.py
index 719b0d71..d490f484 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_status.py
@@ -217,6 +217,16 @@ class StatusViews(TestCase):
                     'is rad</p>')
 
 
+    def test_to_markdown_link(self):
+        ''' this is mostly handled in other places, but nonetheless '''
+        text = '[hi](http://fish.com) is <marquee>rad</marquee>'
+        result = views.status.to_markdown(text)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            result,
+            '<p><a href="http://fish.com">hi</a> ' \
+                    'is rad</p>')
+
+
     def test_handle_delete_status(self):
         ''' marks a status as deleted '''
         view = views.DeleteStatus.as_view()
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/status.py b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
index f7ed0e70..522d1f6d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ class CreateStatus(View):
                 r'<a href="%s">%s</a>\g<1>' % \
                     (mention_user.remote_id, mention_text),
                 content)
-
         # add reply parent to mentions and notify
         if status.reply_parent:
             status.mention_users.add(status.reply_parent.user)
@@ -126,8 +125,8 @@ def format_links(content):
 
 def to_markdown(content):
     ''' catch links and convert to markdown '''
-    content = format_links(content)
     content = markdown(content)
+    content = format_links(content)
     # sanitize resulting html
     sanitizer = InputHtmlParser()
     sanitizer.feed(content)