diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index 14b229af8..caee67967 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -776,13 +776,8 @@ func (c *compiler) compileEdge(obj *d2graph.Object, e *d2ir.Edge) {
 		c.compileLabel(&edge.Attributes, e)
 	}
 
-	for _, field := range e.Map_.Fields {
-		if field.Name == "link" && edge.Label.Value == "" {
-			edge.Label.Value = field.Primary_.String()
-		}
-	}
-
 	if e.Map() != nil {
+		c.compileEdgeLinks(edge, e.Map())
 		c.compileEdgeMap(edge, e.Map())
 	}
 
@@ -841,6 +836,17 @@ func (c *compiler) compileEdgeMap(edge *d2graph.Edge, m *d2ir.Map) {
 	}
 }
 
+func (c *compiler) compileEdgeLinks(edge *d2graph.Edge, m *d2ir.Map) {
+	if m == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	for _, field := range m.Fields {
+		if field.Name == "link" && edge.Label.Value == "" {
+			edge.Label.Value = field.Primary_.String()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (c *compiler) compileEdgeField(edge *d2graph.Edge, f *d2ir.Field) {
 	keyword := strings.ToLower(f.Name.ScalarString())
 	_, isStyleReserved := d2ast.StyleKeywords[keyword]