diff --git a/src/fragment.zig b/src/fragment.zig
index 080a54a..ef9bb05 100644
--- a/src/fragment.zig
+++ b/src/fragment.zig
@@ -95,27 +95,29 @@ fn elem(l: *Lua, w: *std.Io.Writer) Error!void {
         try writeProps(l, w);
     }
 
-    const nchildren: usize = nchildren: {
-        const ltype_children = l.getField(-1, "children");
-        if (ltype_children == .nil) break :nchildren 0;
-        if (ltype_children != .table) return error.ExpectedTable;
-        break :nchildren l.lenRaw(-1);
-    };
-    // -1 => children; -2 => elem
+    {
+        const nchildren: usize = nchildren: {
+            const ltype_children = l.getField(-1, "children");
+            if (ltype_children == .nil) break :nchildren 0;
+            if (ltype_children != .table) return error.ExpectedTable;
+            break :nchildren l.lenRaw(-1);
+        };
+        // -1 => children; -2 => elem
+        defer l.pop(1); // pops "children"
 
-    // empty
-    if (config.empty and nchildren == 0) {
-        if (name != null) try w.writeAll(" />");
-        l.pop(1); // pops "children"
+        if (config.empty and nchildren == 0) {
+            if (name != null) try w.writeAll(" />");
 
-        try w.flush();
-        return;
-    }
-    if (name != null) try w.writeByte('>');
+            try w.flush();
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (name != null) try w.writeByte('>');
 
-    // children
-    try writeChildren(l, w, config);
-    l.pop(1);
+        // children
+        if (nchildren > 0)
+            try writeChildren(l, w, config);
+    }
 
     // close
     if (config.close) if (name) |n| {