diff --git a/lib/jsdoc/util/templateHelper.js b/lib/jsdoc/util/templateHelper.js
index 5a113412..a908e381 100644
--- a/lib/jsdoc/util/templateHelper.js
+++ b/lib/jsdoc/util/templateHelper.js
@@ -141,6 +141,11 @@ function hasUrlPrefix(text) {
     return (/^(http|ftp)s?:\/\//).test(text);
 }
 
+function isComplexTypeExpression(expr) {
+    // record types, type unions, and type applications all count as "complex"
+    return expr.search(/[{(|]/) !== -1 || expr.search(/</) > 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * Build an HTML link to the symbol with the specified longname. If the longname is not
  * associated with a URL, this method simply returns the link text, if provided, or the longname.
@@ -185,7 +190,7 @@ function buildLink(longname, linkText, options) {
     }
     // handle complex type expressions that may require multiple links
     // (but skip anything that looks like an inline tag)
-    else if (longname && longname.search(/[<{(]/) !== -1 && /\{\@.+\}/.test(longname) === false) {
+    else if (longname && isComplexTypeExpression(longname) && /\{\@.+\}/.test(longname) === false) {
         parsedType = parseType(longname);
         return stringifyType(parsedType, options.cssClass, options.linkMap);
     }
diff --git a/test/specs/jsdoc/util/templateHelper.js b/test/specs/jsdoc/util/templateHelper.js
index a0cdf676..a5e75f79 100644
--- a/test/specs/jsdoc/util/templateHelper.js
+++ b/test/specs/jsdoc/util/templateHelper.js
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 /*global afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, env, it, jasmine, spyOn */
+'use strict';
+
 var hasOwnProp = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;
 
 describe("jsdoc/util/templateHelper", function() {
@@ -293,6 +295,20 @@ describe("jsdoc/util/templateHelper", function() {
                 '<a href="fakeclass.html">LinktoFakeClass</a>)>');
         });
 
+        it('works correctly with type unions that are not enclosed in parentheses', function() {
+            var link = helper.linkto('linktoTest|LinktoFakeClass', 'link text');
+            expect(link).toBe('(<a href="test.html">linktoTest</a>|' +
+                '<a href="fakeclass.html">LinktoFakeClass</a>)');
+        });
+
+        it('does not try to parse a longname starting with <anonymous> as a type application',
+            function() {
+            spyOn(logger, 'error');
+
+            helper.linkto('<anonymous>~foo');
+            expect(logger.error).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        });
+
         it('returns a link when a URL is specified', function() {
             var link = helper.linkto('http://example.com');
             expect(link).toBe('<a href="http://example.com">http://example.com</a>');