diff --git a/dashing.go b/dashing.go
index 1edf295..6112346 100644
--- a/dashing.go
+++ b/dashing.go
@@ -628,14 +628,27 @@ func attr(node *html.Node, key string) string {
 // NOTE: NOT THREADSAFE. If we switch to goroutines, swith to atom int.
 var tcounter int
 
-func anchor(node *html.Node) string {
-	if node.Type == html.ElementNode && node.Data == "a" {
-		for _, a := range node.Attr {
-			if a.Key == "name" {
-				return a.Val
-			}
+// nodeAttrValue returns the value for a node attribute, and a flag
+// indicating whether that node has the attribute.
+func nodeAttrValue(node *html.Node, attrName string) (string, bool) {
+	if node.Type != html.ElementNode {
+		return "", false
+	}
+	for _, a := range node.Attr {
+		if a.Key == attrName {
+			return a.Val, true
 		}
 	}
+	return "", false
+}
+
+func anchor(node *html.Node) string {
+	if idVal, ok := nodeAttrValue(node, "id"); ok {
+		return idVal
+	}
+	if nameVal, ok := nodeAttrValue(node, "name"); ok && node.Data == "a" {
+		return nameVal
+	}
 	tname := fmt.Sprintf("autolink-%d", tcounter)
 	link := autolink(tname)
 	node.Parent.InsertBefore(link, node)