diff --git a/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/EachBlock.ts b/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/EachBlock.ts
index 4c2504e8c3..cc9ebed833 100644
--- a/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/EachBlock.ts
+++ b/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/EachBlock.ts
@@ -207,8 +207,8 @@ export default class EachBlockWrapper extends Wrapper {
 		if (needs_anchor) {
 			block.add_element(
 				this.vars.anchor,
-				`@comment()`,
-				parent_nodes && `@comment()`,
+				`@empty()`,
+				parent_nodes && `@empty()`,
 				parent_node
 			);
 		}
@@ -300,8 +300,8 @@ export default class EachBlockWrapper extends Wrapper {
 			this.block.first = this.block.get_unique_name('first');
 			this.block.add_element(
 				this.block.first,
-				`@comment()`,
-				parent_nodes && `@comment()`,
+				`@empty()`,
+				parent_nodes && `@empty()`,
 				null
 			);
 		}
diff --git a/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/IfBlock.ts b/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/IfBlock.ts
index 2051429fda..f3b5c7f2b2 100644
--- a/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/IfBlock.ts
+++ b/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/IfBlock.ts
@@ -185,8 +185,8 @@ export default class IfBlockWrapper extends Wrapper {
 		if (needs_anchor) {
 			block.add_element(
 				anchor,
-				`@comment()`,
-				parent_nodes && `@comment()`,
+				`@empty()`,
+				parent_nodes && `@empty()`,
 				parent_node
 			);
 		}
diff --git a/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/shared/Wrapper.ts b/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/shared/Wrapper.ts
index 7ec5868b20..2a9394415f 100644
--- a/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/shared/Wrapper.ts
+++ b/src/compile/render-dom/wrappers/shared/Wrapper.ts
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ export default class Wrapper {
 		if (needs_anchor) {
 			block.add_element(
 				anchor,
-				`@comment()`,
-				parent_nodes && `@comment()`,
+				`@empty()`,
+				parent_nodes && `@empty()`,
 				parent_node
 			);
 		}
diff --git a/src/internal/dom.js b/src/internal/dom.js
index 1c22bf4c70..2d661b5958 100644
--- a/src/internal/dom.js
+++ b/src/internal/dom.js
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ export function space() {
 	return text(' ');
 }
 
-export function comment() {
-	return document.createComment('');
+export function empty() {
+	return text('');
 }
 
 export function listen(node, event, handler, options) {
diff --git a/test/js/samples/deconflict-builtins/expected.js b/test/js/samples/deconflict-builtins/expected.js
index 32bbdb4394..3985faa362 100644
--- a/test/js/samples/deconflict-builtins/expected.js
+++ b/test/js/samples/deconflict-builtins/expected.js
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 import {
 	SvelteComponent as SvelteComponent_1,
 	append,
-	comment,
 	destroy_each,
 	detach,
 	element,
+	empty,
 	init,
 	insert,
 	noop,
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ function create_fragment(ctx) {
 				each_blocks[i].c();
 			}
 
-			each_1_anchor = comment();
+			each_1_anchor = empty();
 		},
 
 		m(target, anchor) {
diff --git a/test/js/samples/each-block-array-literal/expected.js b/test/js/samples/each-block-array-literal/expected.js
index be3b4a3b45..766cfceb71 100644
--- a/test/js/samples/each-block-array-literal/expected.js
+++ b/test/js/samples/each-block-array-literal/expected.js
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 import {
 	SvelteComponent as SvelteComponent_1,
 	append,
-	comment,
 	destroy_each,
 	detach,
 	element,
+	empty,
 	init,
 	insert,
 	noop,
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ function create_fragment(ctx) {
 				each_blocks[i].c();
 			}
 
-			each_1_anchor = comment();
+			each_1_anchor = empty();
 		},
 
 		m(target, anchor) {
diff --git a/test/js/samples/each-block-keyed-animated/expected.js b/test/js/samples/each-block-keyed-animated/expected.js
index fd879530ea..aa9215b56d 100644
--- a/test/js/samples/each-block-keyed-animated/expected.js
+++ b/test/js/samples/each-block-keyed-animated/expected.js
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ import {
 	SvelteComponent as SvelteComponent_1,
 	append,
 	blank_object,
-	comment,
 	create_animation,
 	detach,
 	element,
+	empty,
 	fix_and_outro_and_destroy_block,
 	fix_position,
 	init,
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ function create_fragment(ctx) {
 		c() {
 			for (i = 0; i < each_blocks.length; i += 1) each_blocks[i].c();
 
-			each_1_anchor = comment();
+			each_1_anchor = empty();
 		},
 
 		m(target, anchor) {
diff --git a/test/js/samples/each-block-keyed/expected.js b/test/js/samples/each-block-keyed/expected.js
index c20a43d4d4..8688d3af9a 100644
--- a/test/js/samples/each-block-keyed/expected.js
+++ b/test/js/samples/each-block-keyed/expected.js
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ import {
 	SvelteComponent as SvelteComponent_1,
 	append,
 	blank_object,
-	comment,
 	destroy_block,
 	detach,
 	element,
+	empty,
 	init,
 	insert,
 	noop,
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ function create_fragment(ctx) {
 		c() {
 			for (i = 0; i < each_blocks.length; i += 1) each_blocks[i].c();
 
-			each_1_anchor = comment();
+			each_1_anchor = empty();
 		},
 
 		m(target, anchor) {
diff --git a/test/js/samples/if-block-no-update/expected.js b/test/js/samples/if-block-no-update/expected.js
index 11fbf604b1..1605696736 100644
--- a/test/js/samples/if-block-no-update/expected.js
+++ b/test/js/samples/if-block-no-update/expected.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 /* generated by Svelte vX.Y.Z */
 import {
 	SvelteComponent as SvelteComponent_1,
-	comment,
 	detach,
 	element,
+	empty,
 	init,
 	insert,
 	noop,
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function create_fragment(ctx) {
 	return {
 		c() {
 			if_block.c();
-			if_block_anchor = comment();
+			if_block_anchor = empty();
 		},
 
 		m(target, anchor) {
diff --git a/test/js/samples/if-block-simple/expected.js b/test/js/samples/if-block-simple/expected.js
index af8d45974f..44c8ed31db 100644
--- a/test/js/samples/if-block-simple/expected.js
+++ b/test/js/samples/if-block-simple/expected.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 /* generated by Svelte vX.Y.Z */
 import {
 	SvelteComponent as SvelteComponent_1,
-	comment,
 	detach,
 	element,
+	empty,
 	init,
 	insert,
 	noop,
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ function create_fragment(ctx) {
 	return {
 		c() {
 			if (if_block) if_block.c();
-			if_block_anchor = comment();
+			if_block_anchor = empty();
 		},
 
 		m(target, anchor) {
diff --git a/test/js/samples/transition-local/expected.js b/test/js/samples/transition-local/expected.js
index b98d2a4520..85979e9959 100644
--- a/test/js/samples/transition-local/expected.js
+++ b/test/js/samples/transition-local/expected.js
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 import {
 	SvelteComponent as SvelteComponent_1,
 	add_render_callback,
-	comment,
 	create_in_transition,
 	detach,
 	element,
+	empty,
 	init,
 	insert,
 	noop,
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function create_if_block(ctx) {
 	return {
 		c() {
 			if (if_block) if_block.c();
-			if_block_anchor = comment();
+			if_block_anchor = empty();
 		},
 
 		m(target, anchor) {
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ function create_fragment(ctx) {
 	return {
 		c() {
 			if (if_block) if_block.c();
-			if_block_anchor = comment();
+			if_block_anchor = empty();
 		},
 
 		m(target, anchor) {
diff --git a/test/js/samples/use-elements-as-anchors/expected.js b/test/js/samples/use-elements-as-anchors/expected.js
index 7277dc8b7d..bb708284b4 100644
--- a/test/js/samples/use-elements-as-anchors/expected.js
+++ b/test/js/samples/use-elements-as-anchors/expected.js
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 import {
 	SvelteComponent as SvelteComponent_1,
 	append,
-	comment,
 	detach,
 	element,
+	empty,
 	init,
 	insert,
 	noop,
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ function create_fragment(ctx) {
 			if (if_block3) if_block3.c();
 			t7 = space();
 			if (if_block4) if_block4.c();
-			if_block4_anchor = comment();
+			if_block4_anchor = empty();
 		},
 
 		m(target, anchor) {