diff --git a/common/content/events.js b/common/content/events.js
index 8a16f99b..555698a8 100644
--- a/common/content/events.js
+++ b/common/content/events.js
@@ -1529,6 +1529,8 @@ function Events() //{{{
                         return void killEvent();
                     }
 
+                    // All of these special cases for hint mode are driving
+                    // me insane! -Kris
                     if (modes.extended & modes.HINTS)
                     {
                         // under HINT mode, certain keys are redirected to hints.onEvent
@@ -1538,6 +1540,7 @@ function Events() //{{{
                             || (/^[0-9]$/.test(key) && !hints.escNumbers))
                         {
                             hints.onEvent(event);
+                            input.buffer = null;
                             return void killEvent();
                         }
 
@@ -1664,7 +1667,8 @@ function Events() //{{{
             finally
             {
                 let motionMap = (input.pendingMotionMap && input.pendingMotionMap.names[0]) || "";
-                statusline.updateInputBuffer(motionMap + input.buffer);
+                if (input.buffer !== null)
+                    statusline.updateInputBuffer(motionMap + input.buffer);
             }
         },
 
diff --git a/common/content/hints.js b/common/content/hints.js
index 8c0624e4..72a09081 100644
--- a/common/content/hints.js
+++ b/common/content/hints.js
@@ -556,6 +556,23 @@ function Hints() //{{{
         return true;
     }
 
+    function checkUnique()
+    {
+        if (hintNumber > validHints.length)
+            return void liberator.beep();
+
+        // if we write a numeric part like 3, but we have 45 hints, only follow
+        // the hint after a timeout, as the user might have wanted to follow link 34
+        if (hintNumber > 0 && hintNumber * 10 <= validHints.length)
+        {
+            let timeout = options["hinttimeout"];
+            if (timeout > 0)
+                activeTimeout = setTimeout(function () { processHints(true); }, timeout);
+        }
+        else // we have a unique hint
+            processHints(true);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Handle user input.
      *
@@ -942,15 +959,11 @@ function Hints() //{{{
             {
                 liberator.beep();
                 modes.reset();
-                return false;
             }
             else if (validHints.length == 1)
-            {
                 processHints(false);
-                return false;
-            }
-            else // still hints visible
-                return true;
+            else
+                checkUnique();
         },
 
         /**
@@ -1054,22 +1067,10 @@ function Hints() //{{{
                         }
                         showActiveHint(hintNumber, oldHintNumber || 1);
 
-                        if (hintNumber == 0 || hintNumber > validHints.length)
+                        if (hintNumber == 0)
                             return void liberator.beep();
 
-                        // if we write a numeric part like 3, but we have 45 hints, only follow
-                        // the hint after a timeout, as the user might have wanted to follow link 34
-                        if (hintNumber > 0 && hintNumber * 10 <= validHints.length)
-                        {
-                            let timeout = options["hinttimeout"];
-                            if (timeout > 0)
-                                activeTimeout = setTimeout(function () { processHints(true); }, timeout);
-
-                            return false;
-                        }
-                        // we have a unique hint
-                        processHints(true);
-                        return;
+                        checkUnique();
                     }
             }