diff --git a/callbacks.c b/callbacks.c
index 01a1b2e..2d4cf2f 100644
--- a/callbacks.c
+++ b/callbacks.c
@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ cb_sc_follow(GtkEntry* entry, girara_session_t* session)
       continue;
     }
 
+    g_object_set(page->drawing_area, "draw-links", FALSE, NULL);
+
     zathura_link_t* link = zathura_page_view_link_get(ZATHURA_PAGE_VIEW(page->drawing_area), index);
     if (link != NULL) {
       switch (link->type) {
diff --git a/page_view_widget.c b/page_view_widget.c
index f46e363..2eb3dba 100644
--- a/page_view_widget.c
+++ b/page_view_widget.c
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ zathura_page_view_set_property(GObject* object, guint prop_id, const GValue* val
       if (priv->draw_links == true && priv->links_got == false) {
         priv->links = zathura_page_links_get(priv->page);
         priv->links_got = true;
+        priv->number_of_links = (priv->links == NULL) ? 0 : girara_list_size(priv->links);
       }
 
       if (priv->links_got == true && priv->links != NULL) {
@@ -235,19 +236,20 @@ zathura_page_view_expose(GtkWidget* widget, GdkEventExpose* event)
       GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH(priv->links, zathura_link_t*, iter, link)
         zathura_rectangle_t rectangle = recalc_rectangle(priv->page, link->position);
 
-        /* draw text */
-        cairo_set_font_size(cairo, 10);
-        cairo_move_to(cairo, rectangle.x1 + 1, rectangle.y1 - 1);
-        char* link_number = g_strdup_printf("%i", priv->link_offset + ++link_counter);
-        cairo_show_text(cairo, link_number);
-        g_free(link_number);
-
         /* draw position */
         GdkColor color = priv->zathura->ui.colors.highlight_color;
         cairo_set_source_rgba(cairo, color.red, color.green, color.blue, transparency);
         cairo_rectangle(cairo, rectangle.x1, rectangle.y1,
             (rectangle.x2 - rectangle.x1), (rectangle.y2 - rectangle.y1));
         cairo_fill(cairo);
+
+        /* draw text */
+        cairo_set_source_rgba(cairo, 0, 0, 0, 1);
+        cairo_set_font_size(cairo, 10);
+        cairo_move_to(cairo, rectangle.x1 + 1, rectangle.y1 - 1);
+        char* link_number = g_strdup_printf("%i", priv->link_offset + ++link_counter);
+        cairo_show_text(cairo, link_number);
+        g_free(link_number);
       GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH_END(priv->links, zathura_link_t*, iter, link);
     }
 
diff --git a/page_view_widget.h b/page_view_widget.h
index 94cb03b..86e9ab2 100644
--- a/page_view_widget.h
+++ b/page_view_widget.h
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@
  * The page view widget. The widget handles all the rendering on its own. It
  * only has to be resized. The widget also manages and handles all the
  * rectangles for highlighting.
+ *
+ * Before the properties contain the correct values, 'draw-links' has to be set
+ * to TRUE at least one time.
  * */
 typedef struct zathura_page_view_s ZathuraPageView;
 typedef struct zathura_page_view_class_s ZathuraPageViewClass;
diff --git a/shortcuts.c b/shortcuts.c
index 519760e..8391cc3 100644
--- a/shortcuts.c
+++ b/shortcuts.c
@@ -131,9 +131,10 @@ sc_follow(girara_session_t* session, girara_argument_t* UNUSED(argument),
 
     g_object_set(page->drawing_area, "search-results", NULL, NULL);
     if (page->visible == true) {
+      g_object_set(page->drawing_area, "draw-links", TRUE, NULL);
+
       int number_of_links = 0;
       g_object_get(page->drawing_area, "number-of-links", &number_of_links, NULL);
-      g_object_set(page->drawing_area, "draw-links", TRUE, NULL);
       g_object_set(page->drawing_area, "offset-links", page_offset, NULL);
       page_offset += number_of_links;
     } else {
diff --git a/utils.c b/utils.c
index 920c2dc..e05a799 100644
--- a/utils.c
+++ b/utils.c
@@ -185,7 +185,8 @@ page_calculate_offset(zathura_page_t* page, page_offset_t* offset)
   zathura_document_t* document = page->document;
   zathura_t* zathura           = document->zathura;
 
-  g_return_if_fail(gtk_widget_translate_coordinates(page->drawing_area, zathura->ui.page_view, 0, 0, &(offset->x), &(offset->y)) == true);
+  g_return_if_fail(gtk_widget_translate_coordinates(page->drawing_area,
+    zathura->ui.page_view, 0, 0, &(offset->x), &(offset->y)) == true);
 }
 
 zathura_rectangle_t