diff --git a/test/test-web.lisp b/test/test-web.lisp
index efa40c1..56b234c 100644
--- a/test/test-web.lisp
+++ b/test/test-web.lisp
@@ -42,4 +42,5 @@
 
 (deftest test-message (client)
   (let ((msg (message:create '(:test :data :field :info) :data '(:info "test data"))))
-    (== (client:send-message client msg) "test data")))
+    (== (str:trim (client:send-message client msg)) 
+        "<dl><dt>info</dt><dd>test data</dd></dl>")))
diff --git a/web/dom.lisp b/web/dom.lisp
index 71a5556..2c9e1a1 100644
--- a/web/dom.lisp
+++ b/web/dom.lisp
@@ -16,28 +16,46 @@
      ,@body
      (get-output-stream-string *output*)))
 
-(defmacro write-nested (start end &body body)
-  `(progn
-     (write-string ,start *output*)
-     ,@body
-     (write-line ,end *output*)))
+(defmacro put-string (s)
+  `(write-string ,s *output*))
 
-(defun write-simple (start end val)
-  (write-string start *output*)
-  (write-string val *output*)
-  (write-string end *output*))
+(defmacro put-char (c)
+  `(write-char ,c *output*))
+
+(defmacro nested (tag attrs &body body)
+  `(progn
+     (start ,tag ,attrs)
+     ,@body
+     (end ,tag t)))
+
+(defun terminal (tag attrs val)
+  (start tag attrs)
+  (put-string val)
+  (end tag))
+
+(defun start (tag &optional attrs)
+  (put-char #\<)
+  (put-string tag)
+  (put-char #\>))
+
+(defun end (tag &optional newline)
+  (put-string "</")
+  (put-string tag)
+  (put-char #\>)
+  (if newline
+    (put-char #\Newline)))
 
 ;;;; tag-specific renderers
 
 (defun dl (plist)
-  (write-nested "<dl>" "</dl>"
+  (nested "dl" nil
     (loop for (key val . r) on plist by #'cddr do
-      (write-simple "<dt>" "</dt>" (string-downcase key))
+      (terminal "dt" nil (string-downcase key))
       (dd val))))
 
 (defun dd (v)
   (if (atom v)
     (setf v (list v)))
   (dolist (el v)
-    (write-simple "<dd>" "</dd>" (string el))))
+    (terminal "dd" nil (string el))))