diff --git a/crates/trawler/src/main.rs b/crates/trawler/src/main.rs
index 033003e..b45d8df 100644
--- a/crates/trawler/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/trawler/src/main.rs
@@ -3081,8 +3081,17 @@ fn render_inline(para: &mut ParagraphText, inline: &Inline) {
         }
         Inline::Reference { display, kind } => {
             let start = para.text.len();
+            // A tag's display (`#name`) already carries its `#` marker and
+            // reads that way in the source too — bracketing it `[[#name]]`
+            // both added noise and made the rendered text longer than the
+            // raw source, shifting everything after it on focus. The
+            // bracketed kinds keep their source-matching `[[...]]` chrome.
+            let shown = match kind {
+                ReferenceKind::Tag(_) => display.clone(),
+                _ => format!("[[{display}]]"),
+            };
             para.push_run(
-                &format!("[[{display}]]"),
+                &shown,
                 run_font(UI_FONT, para.force_bold, false),
                 rgb(REFERENCE_COLOR).into(),
                 None,