diff --git a/flippy.module b/flippy.module
index e366848..aa487ad 100755
--- a/flippy.module
+++ b/flippy.module
@@ -476,23 +476,33 @@ function template_preprocess_flippy(&$vars) {
     }
 
     if ($flippy_settings->get('flippy_random_' . $vars['node']->getType())) {
       $vars['random'] = \Drupal::service('flippy.pager')->flippy_generate_link($nav['random']['nid'], $random_label);
     }
 
     if (isset($nav['prev']) && $nav['prev']['nid'] != FALSE) {
       $vars['prev'] = \Drupal::service('flippy.pager')->flippy_generate_link($nav['prev']['nid'], $prev_label);
     }
     elseif ($show_empty) {
-      $vars['prev'] = t($prev_label);
+      $vars['prev'] = [
+        '#type' => 'html_tag',
+        '#tag' => 'span',
+        '#attributes' => ['class' => ['empty']],
+        '#value' => $prev_label,
+      ];
     }
 
     if (isset($nav['next']) && $nav['next']['nid'] != FALSE) {
       $vars['next'] = \Drupal::service('flippy.pager')->flippy_generate_link($nav['next']['nid'], $next_label);
     }
     elseif ($show_empty) {
-      $vars['next'] = t($next_label);
+      $vars['next'] = [
+        '#type' => 'html_tag',
+        '#tag' => 'span',
+        '#attributes' => ['class' => ['empty']],
+        '#value' => $next_label,
+      ];
     }
   }
 
   unset($vars['list']);
 }