diff --git a/core/basepage.php b/core/basepage.php
index c644dfbd..2acdb953 100644
--- a/core/basepage.php
+++ b/core/basepage.php
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 
 namespace Shimmie2;
 
+use MicroHTML\HTMLElement;
+
 require_once "core/event.php";
 
 enum PageMode: string
@@ -604,7 +606,7 @@ class PageSubNavBuildingEvent extends Event
         $this->parent= $parent;
     }
 
-    public function add_nav_link(string $name, Link $link, string $desc, ?bool $active = null, int $order = 50)
+    public function add_nav_link(string $name, Link $link, string|HTMLElement $desc, ?bool $active = null, int $order = 50)
     {
         $this->links[]  = new NavLink($name, $link, $desc, $active, $order);
     }
@@ -614,11 +616,11 @@ class NavLink
 {
     public string $name;
     public Link $link;
-    public string $description;
+    public string|HTMLElement $description;
     public int $order;
     public bool $active = false;
 
-    public function __construct(String $name, Link $link, String $description, ?bool $active = null, int $order = 50)
+    public function __construct(string $name, Link $link, string|HTMLElement $description, ?bool $active = null, int $order = 50)
     {
         global $config;
 
diff --git a/ext/pm/main.php b/ext/pm/main.php
index 2d363aeb..1755e839 100644
--- a/ext/pm/main.php
+++ b/ext/pm/main.php
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ use GQLA\Field;
 use GQLA\Query;
 use GQLA\Mutation;
 
+use function MicroHTML\{emptyHTML, SPAN};
+
 class SendPMEvent extends Event
 {
     public PM $pm;
@@ -185,8 +187,8 @@ class PrivMsg extends Extension
         if ($event->parent==="user") {
             if ($user->can(Permissions::READ_PM)) {
                 $count = $this->count_pms($user);
-                $h_count = $count > 0 ? " <span class='unread'>($count)</span>" : "";
-                $event->add_nav_link("pm", new Link('user#private-messages'), "Private Messages$h_count");
+                $h_count = $count > 0 ? SPAN(["class"=>'unread'], "($count)") : "";
+                $event->add_nav_link("pm", new Link('user#private-messages'), emptyHTML("Private Messages", $h_count));
             }
         }
     }
@@ -196,8 +198,8 @@ class PrivMsg extends Extension
         global $user;
         if ($user->can(Permissions::READ_PM)) {
             $count = $this->count_pms($user);
-            $h_count = $count > 0 ? " <span class='unread'>($count)</span>" : "";
-            $event->add_link("Private Messages$h_count", make_link("user", null, "private-messages"));
+            $h_count = $count > 0 ? SPAN(["class"=>'unread'], "($count)") : "";
+            $event->add_link(emptyHTML("Private Messages", $h_count), make_link("user", null, "private-messages"));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/ext/user/events.php b/ext/user/events.php
index e93391af..aacf7fa1 100644
--- a/ext/user/events.php
+++ b/ext/user/events.php
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 
 namespace Shimmie2;
 
+use MicroHTML\HTMLElement;
+
 class UserBlockBuildingEvent extends Event
 {
     public array $parts = [];
 
-    public function add_link(string $name, string $link, int $position=50): void
+    public function add_link(string|HTMLElement $name, string $link, int $position=50): void
     {
         while (isset($this->parts[$position])) {
             $position++;