diff --git a/src/core/inlines.js b/src/core/inlines.js
index 71f8308b98..e0278b28d5 100644
--- a/src/core/inlines.js
+++ b/src/core/inlines.js
@@ -145,9 +145,9 @@ function inlineXrefMatches(matched, text) {
   }
 
   const node = idlStringToHtml(ref);
-  // If it's inside a dfn, it should just be coded, not linked.
+  // If it's inside a dfn or a `a`, it should just be coded, not linked.
   // This is because dfn elements are treated as links by ReSpec via role=link.
-  const renderAsCode = !!text.parentElement.closest("dfn");
+  const renderAsCode = !!text.parentElement.closest("dfn") || !!text.parentElement.closest("a");
   return renderAsCode ? inlineCodeMatches(`\`${node.textContent}\``) : node;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/spec/core/inlines-spec.js b/tests/spec/core/inlines-spec.js
index 7e26c43818..a08815174c 100644
--- a/tests/spec/core/inlines-spec.js
+++ b/tests/spec/core/inlines-spec.js
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ describe("Core - Inlines", () => {
     expect(primitiveData.lt).toBe("unsigned short");
   });
 
-  it("doesn't link processed inline WebIDL if inside a definition", async () => {
+  it("doesn't link processed inline WebIDL if inside a definition or a link", async () => {
     const body = `
       <section>
         <dfn id="dfn">
@@ -639,14 +639,18 @@ describe("Core - Inlines", () => {
           {{ ReferrerPolicy/"no-referrer" }}
           123
         </dfn>
+        <a id="link" href="#dfn">A link containing an IDL reference {{Window}}</a>
       </section>
     `;
     const doc = await makeRSDoc(makeStandardOps(null, body));
     const dfn = doc.getElementById("dfn");
     expect(dfn.querySelector("a")).toBeNull();
+    const link = doc.getElementById("link");
+    expect(link.querySelector("a")).toBeNull();
 
     const codeElements = dfn.querySelectorAll("code");
     expect(codeElements).toHaveSize(3);
+    expect(link.querySelectorAll("code")).toHaveSize(1);
 
     const [eventListen, event, noRef] = codeElements;
     expect(eventListen.textContent).toBe("addEventListener(type, callback)");