diff --git a/cli/xml2rfc/writers/html.py b/cli/xml2rfc/writers/html.py
index a097ad07e..4f043c14e 100644
--- a/cli/xml2rfc/writers/html.py
+++ b/cli/xml2rfc/writers/html.py
@@ -1311,15 +1311,15 @@ def render_country(self, h, x):
     #    about something that we need to remember later.
     #    <span class="crefSource">--life</span></span>
     def render_cref(self, h, x):
-        span = add.span(h, x, classes='cref')
         disp = x.get('display') == 'true'
         if disp:
+            span = add.span(h, x, classes='cref')
             for c in x.getchildren():
                 self.render(span, c)
             source = x.get('source')
             if source:
                 add.span(span, None, source, classes='crefSource')
-        return span
+            return span
 
     # 9.17.  <date>
     #