diff --git a/src/conformance/property-harness.ts b/src/conformance/property-harness.ts
index 0743e5a..6951572 100644
--- a/src/conformance/property-harness.ts
+++ b/src/conformance/property-harness.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { blockNodes } from '../adf/block-nodes.ts'
 import { directivePrefix } from '../markdown/directive-syntax.ts'
 import { emptyKeys, mergeAdjacentText } from '../adf/document.ts'
 import { inlineNodes } from '../adf/inline-nodes.ts'
-import { joinsNormally } from '../markdown/plain/editor-normal.ts'
+import { joinsWhenEditorNormal } from '../markdown/adjacent-text.ts'
 import { markAttributes } from '../adf/mark-attributes.ts'
 
 type Positions = { block: AdfNode; inline: AdfNode }
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ function withoutEmptyKeys<T extends AdfMark | AdfNode>(held: T): T {
 }
 
 function occasionallyApart(arbitrary: Arbitrary<AdfNode[]>): Arbitrary<AdfNode[]> {
-  return fc.tuple(arbitrary, fc.nat({ max: 5 })).map(([nodes, roll]) => (roll === 0 ? nodes : mergeAdjacentText(nodes, joinsNormally)))
+  return fc.tuple(arbitrary, fc.nat({ max: 5 })).map(([nodes, roll]) => (roll === 0 ? nodes : mergeAdjacentText(nodes, joinsWhenEditorNormal)))
 }
 
 function pipeTable({ body, header }: { body: AdfNode[][]; header: AdfNode[] }): AdfNode {
diff --git a/src/markdown/adjacent-text.ts b/src/markdown/adjacent-text.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b063caa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/markdown/adjacent-text.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import type { AdfAttributes, AdfMark, AdfNode } from '../adf/document.ts'
+import type { JsonValue } from '../json-value.ts'
+import { identicalMark, identicalMarks, isPlainText, nodeAttrs, nodeMarks } from '../adf/document.ts'
+import { spellInlineLeafDirective } from './directive-syntax.ts'
+
+type JsonContainer = JsonValue[] | { [key: string]: JsonValue }
+
+export const textBreakName = 'textBreak'
+
+export const textBreakSpelling = spellInlineLeafDirective(textBreakName, '')
+
+// The lossless reader's rule: CommonMark reads the pair back as one text run (spec/flavour.md, Inline nodes).
+export function joinsWhenRead(previous: AdfNode, node: AdfNode): boolean {
+  return isPlainText(previous) && isPlainText(node) && identicalMarks(nodeMarks(previous), nodeMarks(node))
+}
+
+// The editor's rule, parting from the reader's only on shapes editor-normal ADF erases: an empty attrs, content or marks, and -0 in a mark.
+export function joinsWhenEditorNormal(previous: AdfNode, node: AdfNode): boolean {
+  if (!joinsAsEditorText(previous) || !joinsAsEditorText(node)) return false
+  return identicalMarks(nodeMarks(previous).map(normalMark), nodeMarks(node).map(normalMark))
+}
+
+export function sameMarkWhenEditorNormal(left: AdfMark, right: AdfMark): boolean {
+  return identicalMark(normalMark(left), normalMark(right))
+}
+
+export function normalMark(mark: AdfMark): AdfMark {
+  const attrs = normalAttributes(nodeAttrs(mark))
+  return attrs === undefined ? { type: mark.type } : { attrs, type: mark.type }
+}
+
+export function normalAttributes(attrs: AdfAttributes): AdfAttributes | undefined {
+  if (Object.keys(attrs).length === 0) return undefined
+  const normal = { ...attrs }
+  const pending: JsonContainer[] = [normal]
+  for (let held = pending.pop(); held !== undefined; held = pending.pop()) {
+    if (Array.isArray(held)) for (const [index, value] of held.entries()) held[index] = normalValue(value, pending)
+    else for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(held)) held[key] = normalValue(value, pending)
+  }
+  return normal
+}
+
+function normalValue(value: JsonValue, pending: JsonContainer[]): JsonValue {
+  if (Object.is(value, -0)) return 0
+  if (value === null || typeof value !== 'object') return value
+  const copy = Array.isArray(value) ? [...value] : { ...value }
+  pending.push(copy)
+  return copy
+}
+
+function joinsAsEditorText(node: AdfNode): boolean {
+  return node.type === 'text' && Object.keys(nodeAttrs(node)).length === 0
+}
diff --git a/src/markdown/emit/inline-line.ts b/src/markdown/emit/inline-line.ts
index 6513e8d..c4ce116 100644
--- a/src/markdown/emit/inline-line.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/emit/inline-line.ts
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ import { escapeUnbalanced, spellDestination } from '../commonmark/link-syntax.ts
 import { failure, faulted, success, type ConvertErrorPath, type Result } from '../../result.ts'
 import { highlightDelimiter } from '../plain/conventions.ts'
 import { inlineNodeModel } from '../../adf/inline-nodes.ts'
+import { joinsWhenRead, textBreakSpelling } from '../adjacent-text.ts'
 import { largestNesting } from '../../nesting.ts'
 import { longestBacktickRun } from '../commonmark/backtick-runs.ts'
-import { readsAsOne, textBreakSpelling } from '../text-break.ts'
 import { slotLineEndingFault, spellInlineDirectiveOpener, spellInlineLeafDirective } from '../directive-syntax.ts'
 import { spellInlineNodeAttributes } from './inline-directive-spelling.ts'
 import { spellTextDirective } from '../text-directive.ts'
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ function emitRun(nodes: readonly AdfNode[], depth: number, firstIndex: number, c
   const runs = inlineRuns(nodes, depth, firstIndex, context.carried)
   const segments: InlineSegment[] = []
   for (const [offset, run] of runs.entries()) {
-    if (partsText(runs[offset - 1], run, context.carried)) segments.push(syntax(textBreakSpelling))
+    if (takesTextBreak(runs[offset - 1], run, context.carried)) segments.push(syntax(textBreakSpelling))
     const runContext = { ...context, atBlockEnd: context.atBlockEnd && offset === runs.length - 1 }
     const emitted = run.kind === 'plain' ? emitLeaf(run.node, runContext, run.index) : emitMarkedRun(run.nodes, run.mark, depth, run.index, runContext)
     if (!emitted.ok) return emitted
@@ -213,10 +213,10 @@ function inlineRuns(nodes: readonly AdfNode[], depth: number, firstIndex: number
   return runs
 }
 
-function partsText(previous: InlineRun | undefined, run: InlineRun, carried: ReadonlySet<number>): boolean {
+function takesTextBreak(previous: InlineRun | undefined, run: InlineRun, carried: ReadonlySet<number>): boolean {
   if (previous?.kind !== 'plain' || run.kind !== 'plain') return false
   if (carries(previous.node, carried, previous.index) || carries(run.node, carried, run.index)) return false
-  return readsAsOne(previous.node, run.node)
+  return joinsWhenRead(previous.node, run.node)
 }
 
 function nodePath(context: InlineContext, index: number): ConvertErrorPath {
diff --git a/src/markdown/parse/directive-nodes.ts b/src/markdown/parse/directive-nodes.ts
index 63e1e56..61c1471 100644
--- a/src/markdown/parse/directive-nodes.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/parse/directive-nodes.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import { inlineNodeModel } from '../../adf/inline-nodes.ts'
 import { readEmptyKeys, spellsEmpty } from '../empty-keys.ts'
 import { readVocabulary } from './directive-attributes.ts'
 import { slotLineEndingFault } from '../directive-syntax.ts'
-import { textBreakName } from '../text-break.ts'
+import { textBreakName } from '../adjacent-text.ts'
 import { textDirectiveName } from '../text-directive.ts'
 
 export type BlockDirectiveNode = { contentModel: BlockNodeModel['contentModel']; node: AdfNode }
diff --git a/src/markdown/parse/inline-content.ts b/src/markdown/parse/inline-content.ts
index 22d7114..1d7c0db 100644
--- a/src/markdown/parse/inline-content.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/parse/inline-content.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { failure, faulted, success, type ConvertErrorPath, type Result } from '.
 import { highlightDelimiter, highlightFlanking } from '../plain/conventions.ts'
 import { identicalMarks, mergeAdjacentText, nodeAttrs, nodeMarks } from '../../adf/document.ts'
 import { inlineNodeModel } from '../../adf/inline-nodes.ts'
+import { joinsWhenRead, textBreakName, textBreakSpelling } from '../adjacent-text.ts'
 import { noSpans, readInlineDirective } from '../directive-syntax.ts'
 import { normalizeLabel, readInlineTarget, readLabel } from '../commonmark/link-syntax.ts'
 import { openingLinkTakesDirective } from '../emit/inline-line.ts'
@@ -19,7 +20,6 @@ import { readCarriedInline } from '../opaque-carry.ts'
 import { readDirectiveMark } from './directive-marks.ts'
 import { readInlineDirectiveNode } from './directive-nodes.ts'
 import { readTextDirective } from '../text-directive.ts'
-import { readsAsOne, textBreakName, textBreakSpelling } from '../text-break.ts'
 
 export type InlineContent = { carry?: undefined; image: AdfNode; nodes?: undefined } | { carry: boolean; image?: undefined; nodes: AdfNode[] }
 
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ function partText(items: readonly Inline[], scan: Scan): Result<AdfNode[]> {
     }
     const previous = items[index - 1]
     const next = items[index + 1]
-    if (previous === undefined || next === undefined || !isNode(previous) || !isNode(next) || !readsAsOne(previous, next)) {
+    if (previous === undefined || next === undefined || !isNode(previous) || !isNode(next) || !joinsWhenRead(previous, next)) {
       return failure('unsupported-node-shape', `delete ${textBreakSpelling} here: it stands only between two runs of text with the same formatting, which would otherwise read as one`, scan.path)
     }
   }
@@ -508,11 +508,11 @@ function resolveNodes(pieces: readonly Piece[], scan: Scan, highlights: boolean)
   writeUnpaired(nodes, runs, pairings)
   if (!markPairings(pieces, nodes, pairings)) return failure('unsupported-node-shape', carriedInMark, scan.path)
   markHighlights(pieces, nodes, highlights ? pairedHighlights(pieces, nodes) : [])
-  return success(mergeText(nodes.flat()))
+  return success(mergeReadText(nodes.flat()))
 }
 
 // A text break and a carried node are walls: the text on either side joins only its own side.
-function mergeText(items: readonly Inline[]): Inline[] {
+function mergeReadText(items: readonly Inline[]): Inline[] {
   const merged: Inline[] = []
   let run: AdfNode[] = []
   for (const item of items) {
@@ -520,11 +520,11 @@ function mergeText(items: readonly Inline[]): Inline[] {
       run.push(item)
       continue
     }
-    for (const node of mergeAdjacentText(run, readsAsOne)) merged.push(node)
+    for (const node of mergeAdjacentText(run, joinsWhenRead)) merged.push(node)
     merged.push(item)
     run = []
   }
-  for (const node of mergeAdjacentText(run, readsAsOne)) merged.push(node)
+  for (const node of mergeAdjacentText(run, joinsWhenRead)) merged.push(node)
   return merged
 }
 
diff --git a/src/markdown/plain/editor-normal.ts b/src/markdown/plain/editor-normal.ts
index a5ffb7e..e43a0a5 100644
--- a/src/markdown/plain/editor-normal.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/plain/editor-normal.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,14 @@
-import type { AdfAttributes, AdfDocument, AdfMark, AdfNode } from '../../adf/document.ts'
-import type { JsonValue } from '../../json-value.ts'
-import { identicalMark, identicalMarks, mergeAdjacentText, nodeAttrs, nodeContent, nodeMarks } from '../../adf/document.ts'
-
-type JsonContainer = JsonValue[] | { [key: string]: JsonValue }
+import type { AdfDocument, AdfNode } from '../../adf/document.ts'
+import { joinsWhenEditorNormal, normalAttributes, normalMark } from '../adjacent-text.ts'
+import { mergeAdjacentText, nodeAttrs, nodeContent, nodeMarks } from '../../adf/document.ts'
 
 type NodeHolder = { content?: AdfNode[] }
 
-export function sameMark(left: AdfMark, right: AdfMark): boolean {
-  return identicalMark(normalMark(left), normalMark(right))
-}
-
-export function joinsNormally(previous: AdfNode, node: AdfNode): boolean {
-  if (!mergesText(previous) || !mergesText(node)) return false
-  return identicalMarks(nodeMarks(previous).map(normalMark), nodeMarks(node).map(normalMark))
-}
-
 export function toEditorNormal(document: AdfDocument): AdfDocument {
   const normal: AdfDocument = { type: document.type, version: Object.is(document.version, -0) ? 0 : document.version }
   const pending: { holder: NodeHolder; source: NodeHolder }[] = [{ holder: normal, source: document }]
   for (let entry = pending.pop(); entry !== undefined; entry = pending.pop()) {
-    const content = mergeAdjacentText(nodeContent(entry.source), joinsNormally)
+    const content = mergeAdjacentText(nodeContent(entry.source), joinsWhenEditorNormal)
     if (content.length === 0) continue
     entry.holder.content = content.map((source) => {
       const holder = normalNode(source)
@@ -39,31 +28,3 @@ function normalNode(node: AdfNode): AdfNode {
   if (node.text !== undefined) normal.text = node.text
   return normal
 }
-
-function normalMark(mark: AdfMark): AdfMark {
-  const attrs = normalAttributes(nodeAttrs(mark))
-  return attrs === undefined ? { type: mark.type } : { attrs, type: mark.type }
-}
-
-function normalAttributes(attrs: AdfAttributes): AdfAttributes | undefined {
-  if (Object.keys(attrs).length === 0) return undefined
-  const normal = { ...attrs }
-  const pending: JsonContainer[] = [normal]
-  for (let held = pending.pop(); held !== undefined; held = pending.pop()) {
-    if (Array.isArray(held)) for (const [index, value] of held.entries()) held[index] = normalValue(value, pending)
-    else for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(held)) held[key] = normalValue(value, pending)
-  }
-  return normal
-}
-
-function normalValue(value: JsonValue, pending: JsonContainer[]): JsonValue {
-  if (Object.is(value, -0)) return 0
-  if (value === null || typeof value !== 'object') return value
-  const copy = Array.isArray(value) ? [...value] : { ...value }
-  pending.push(copy)
-  return copy
-}
-
-function mergesText(node: AdfNode): boolean {
-  return node.type === 'text' && Object.keys(nodeAttrs(node)).length === 0
-}
diff --git a/src/markdown/plain/inline-reduction.ts b/src/markdown/plain/inline-reduction.ts
index b2d3501..0df6095 100644
--- a/src/markdown/plain/inline-reduction.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/plain/inline-reduction.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import type { LineContainer } from '../line-container.ts'
 import type { MarkRun } from '../emit/line-escaping.ts'
 import { blockNodeModel } from '../../adf/block-nodes.ts'
 import { failure, success, type ConvertErrorPath, type Result } from '../../result.ts'
-import { joinsNormally, sameMark } from './editor-normal.ts'
+import { joinsWhenEditorNormal, sameMarkWhenEditorNormal } from '../adjacent-text.ts'
 import { largestNesting } from '../../nesting.ts'
 import { mergeAdjacentText, nodeAttrs, nodeContent, nodeMarks } from '../../adf/document.ts'
 import { plainLineFallback, type PlainLineFallback } from '../emit/inline-line.ts'
@@ -175,11 +175,11 @@ function highlighted(leaves: readonly AdfNode[]): AdfNode[] {
     const marks = nodeMarks(leaf)
     if (marks[0]?.type === highlight) {
       const held = marks.slice(1)
-      shared = run.length === 0 ? held : shared.filter((mark) => held.some((other) => sameMark(other, mark)))
+      shared = run.length === 0 ? held : shared.filter((mark) => held.some((other) => sameMarkWhenEditorNormal(other, mark)))
       run.push(leaf)
       continue
     }
-    for (const held of run) spelled.push(withMarks(held, [...shared, highlightMark, ...nodeMarks(held).slice(1).filter((mark) => !shared.some((other) => sameMark(other, mark)))]))
+    for (const held of run) spelled.push(withMarks(held, [...shared, highlightMark, ...nodeMarks(held).slice(1).filter((mark) => !shared.some((other) => sameMarkWhenEditorNormal(other, mark)))]))
     run = []
     spelled.push(leaf)
   }
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ function withMarks(leaf: AdfNode, marks: readonly AdfMark[]): AdfNode {
 
 function trimmedEdges(leaves: readonly AdfNode[]): AdfNode[] {
   for (let current = leaves; ; ) {
-    const merged = withoutEdgeBreaks(mergeAdjacentText(current, joinsNormally))
+    const merged = withoutEdgeBreaks(mergeAdjacentText(current, joinsWhenEditorNormal))
     let changed = false
     const trimmed: AdfNode[] = []
     for (const [index, leaf] of merged.entries()) {
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ function edgeDepth(marks: readonly AdfMark[], neighbour: AdfNode | undefined, wh
 function sameMarkAt(marks: readonly AdfMark[], others: readonly AdfMark[], index: number): boolean {
   const mark = marks[index]
   const other = others[index]
-  return mark !== undefined && other !== undefined && sameMark(mark, other)
+  return mark !== undefined && other !== undefined && sameMarkWhenEditorNormal(mark, other)
 }
 
 function spellableLine(leaves: AdfNode[], container: LineContainer, path: ConvertErrorPath): Result<AdfNode[]> {
diff --git a/src/markdown/text-break.ts b/src/markdown/text-break.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 2055539..0000000
--- a/src/markdown/text-break.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-import type { AdfNode } from '../adf/document.ts'
-import { identicalMarks, isPlainText, nodeMarks } from '../adf/document.ts'
-import { spellInlineLeafDirective } from './directive-syntax.ts'
-
-export const textBreakName = 'textBreak'
-
-export const textBreakSpelling = spellInlineLeafDirective(textBreakName, '')
-
-// Whether CommonMark reads the pair back as one text node, where neither rides the carry (spec/flavour.md, Inline nodes).
-export function readsAsOne(previous: AdfNode, node: AdfNode): boolean {
-  return isPlainText(previous) && isPlainText(node) && identicalMarks(nodeMarks(previous), nodeMarks(node))
-}