diff --git a/src/core/parser/Melder.re b/src/core/parser/Melder.re
index 9ae75d08..d697674f 100644
--- a/src/core/parser/Melder.re
+++ b/src/core/parser/Melder.re
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ let push_bound = (~repair=false, t: Token.t, ~fill=Cell.empty, bound, ~onto) =>
 let push =
     (~repair=false, t: Token.t, ~fill=Cell.empty, slope, ~bound, ~onto)
     : option(Melded.t) =>
-  switch (Slope.merge_hd(t, ~caret=?Cell.is_caret(fill), slope, ~onto)) {
+  switch (Slope.merge_hd(t, slope, ~onto)) {
   | Some(slope) => Some(Neq(slope))
   | None =>
     switch (t.mtrl) {
diff --git a/src/core/structure/Cell.re b/src/core/structure/Cell.re
index 7989d10e..1f03cfdc 100644
--- a/src/core/structure/Cell.re
+++ b/src/core/structure/Cell.re
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ let get_spc = (c: t) =>
   };
 // raises Invalid_argument if inputs are not space cells
 let merge_spc = (l: t, r: t) => {
-  let get = Options.get_exn(Invalid_argument("Cell.merge"));
+  let get = Options.get_exn(Invalid_argument("Cell.merge_spc"));
   let spc_l = get(get_spc(l));
   let spc_r = get(get_spc(r));
   let marks_l =
diff --git a/src/core/structure/Slope.re b/src/core/structure/Slope.re
index 45994e8b..29e63791 100644
--- a/src/core/structure/Slope.re
+++ b/src/core/structure/Slope.re
@@ -99,11 +99,11 @@ let pull = (~from: Dir.t, slope: t): option((Token.t, t)) =>
     Some((tok, slope));
   };
 
-let merge_hd = (~onto: Dir.t, t: Token.t, ~caret=?, slope: t): option(t) =>
+let merge_hd = (~onto: Dir.t, t: Token.t, slope: t): option(t) =>
   switch (slope) {
   | [] => None
   | [hd, ...tl] =>
-    Terr.merge_hd(~onto, t, ~caret?, hd) |> Option.map(hd => [hd, ...tl])
+    Terr.merge_hd(~onto, t, hd) |> Option.map(hd => [hd, ...tl])
   };
 
 // Dn and Up slopes named based on left-to-right order of terraces
diff --git a/src/core/structure/Terr.re b/src/core/structure/Terr.re
index 19d97c1c..d9a8e341 100644
--- a/src/core/structure/Terr.re
+++ b/src/core/structure/Terr.re
@@ -45,11 +45,11 @@ let unlink = (terr: t) =>
   | Error(tok) => (tok, terr.cell, None)
   };
 
-let merge_hd = (~onto: Dir.t, t: Token.t, ~caret=?, terr: t) => {
+let merge_hd = (~onto: Dir.t, t: Token.t, terr: t) => {
   open Options.Syntax;
   let (l, r) = Dir.order(onto, (hd(terr), t));
-  let+ zipped = Token.merge(~save_cursor=Dir.toggle(onto), l, ~caret?, r);
-  put_hd(zipped, terr);
+  let+ merged = Token.merge(~save_cursor=Dir.toggle(onto), l, r);
+  put_hd(merged, terr);
 };
 // module Tl = {
 //   // a terrace minus its hd token
diff --git a/src/core/structure/Token.re b/src/core/structure/Token.re
index 9a3d549c..c936bf06 100644
--- a/src/core/structure/Token.re
+++ b/src/core/structure/Token.re
@@ -112,20 +112,12 @@ module Molded = {
     );
   };
 
-  let merge = (~save_cursor=?, l: t, ~caret=?, r: t) =>
+  let merge = (~save_cursor=?, l: t, r: t) =>
     if (l.id == r.id) {
       switch (save_cursor) {
       | None => Some(clear_marks(l))
       | Some(d) => Some(Dir.pick(d, (l, r)))
       };
-    } else if (l.mtrl == Space() && r.mtrl == Space()) {
-      let (l, r) =
-        switch (save_cursor) {
-        | None => (clear_marks(l), clear_marks(r))
-        | Some(L) => (l, clear_marks(r))
-        | Some(R) => (clear_marks(l), r)
-        };
-      Some(cat(l, ~caret?, r));
     } else {
       None;
     };