diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/DocSidebarItem/index.tsx b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/DocSidebarItem/index.tsx
index a22078e5d1..f0a422ebf1 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/DocSidebarItem/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/DocSidebarItem/index.tsx
@@ -269,10 +269,8 @@ function DocSidebarItemLink({
           onClick: onItemClick ? () => onItemClick(item) : undefined,
         })}
         {...props}>
-        <span>
-          {label}
-          {!isInternalUrl(href) && <IconExternalLink />}
-        </span>
+        {label}
+        {!isInternalUrl(href) && <IconExternalLink />}
       </Link>
     </li>
   );
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/Footer/LinkItem/index.tsx b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/Footer/LinkItem/index.tsx
index 7ae87c5885..f5e334acef 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/Footer/LinkItem/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/Footer/LinkItem/index.tsx
@@ -29,10 +29,8 @@ export default function FooterLinkItem({item}: Props): JSX.Element {
             to: toUrl,
           })}
       {...props}>
-      <span>
-        {label}
-        {href && !isInternalUrl(href) && <IconExternalLink />}
-      </span>
+      {label}
+      {href && !isInternalUrl(href) && <IconExternalLink />}
     </Link>
   );
 }
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/NavbarItem/NavbarNavLink.tsx b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/NavbarItem/NavbarNavLink.tsx
index ba706d46d9..af498982f6 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/NavbarItem/NavbarNavLink.tsx
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/NavbarItem/NavbarNavLink.tsx
@@ -55,12 +55,10 @@ export default function NavbarNavLink({
               : null),
           })}
       {...props}>
-      <span>
-        {label}
-        {isExternalLink && (
-          <IconExternalLink {...(isDropdownLink && {width: 12, height: 12})} />
-        )}
-      </span>
+      {label}
+      {isExternalLink && (
+        <IconExternalLink {...(isDropdownLink && {width: 12, height: 12})} />
+      )}
     </Link>
   );
 }