diff --git a/bar_filler_bar.go b/bar_filler_bar.go
index b27619d..5f89276 100644
--- a/bar_filler_bar.go
+++ b/bar_filler_bar.go
@@ -101,11 +101,11 @@
 func (s *barFiller) Fill(w io.Writer, reqWidth int, stat decor.Statistics) {
 	width := internal.CalcWidthForBarFiller(reqWidth, stat.AvailableWidth)
 
-	// don't count rLeft and rRight as progress
-	brackets := s.rwidth[rLeft] + s.rwidth[rRight]
-	width -= brackets
-	if width < brackets {
+	if brackets := s.rwidth[rLeft] + s.rwidth[rRight]; width < brackets {
 		return
+	} else {
+		// don't count brackets as progress
+		width -= brackets
 	}
 	w.Write(s.format[rLeft])
 	defer w.Write(s.format[rRight])
diff --git a/draw_test.go b/draw_test.go
index 43f0477..c9f245a 100644
--- a/draw_test.go
+++ b/draw_test.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 				current:   20,
 				barWidth:  80,
 				trimSpace: true,
-				want:      "",
+				want:      "[]",
 			},
 		},
 		3: {
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 				current:   20,
 				barWidth:  80,
 				trimSpace: true,
-				want:      "",
+				want:      "[-]",
 			},
 		},
 		4: {
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
 				total:    60,
 				current:  20,
 				barWidth: 80,
-				want:     "  ",
+				want:     " [] ",
 			},
 			{
 				name:      "t,c,bw{60,20,80}trim",
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
 				total:    60,
 				current:  20,
 				barWidth: 80,
-				want:     "  ",
+				want:     " [-] ",
 			},
 			{
 				name:      "t,c,bw{60,20,80}trim",