diff --git a/benchmark/slate-react/rendering/large-with-selection.js b/benchmark/slate-react/rendering/large-with-selection.js
index 0aca7e40e..d4c3af45e 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate-react/rendering/large-with-selection.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate-react/rendering/large-with-selection.js
@@ -24,30 +24,37 @@ module.exports.input = (
       <block type="level-one">
         <block type="level-two">
           <block type="coffee-container">
+            <text />
             <inline type="coffee">
               Extra, brewed caffeine fair trade, whipped cup bar flavour grounds
               organic. Café au lait blue mountain cortado saucer, macchiato ut
               that caramelization flavour.
             </inline>
+            <text />
             <inline type="coffee">
               Crema frappuccino so decaffeinated, sit café au lait irish
               cultivar doppio café au lait. Dripper irish fair trade <anchor />kopi-luwak
               ut beans skinny saucer.
             </inline>
+            <text />
           </block>
           <block type="coffee-container">
+            <text />
             <inline type="coffee">
               Half and half, irish rich sugar medium frappuccino spoon. Whipped,
               caramelization, caffeine french press cinnamon variety rich redeye
               acerbic americano aftertaste. Shop crema filter seasonal, filter
               aromatic, french press mazagran affogato cappuccino single origin.
             </inline>
-            Plunger pot aromatic, crema, cultivar french press, skinny and
-            percolator so single origin. Id variety and cinnamon brewed flavour
-            cultivar acerbic half and half et<focus /> cappuccino.
+            <text>
+              Plunger pot aromatic, crema, cultivar french press, skinny and
+              percolator so single origin. Id variety and cinnamon brewed
+              flavour cultivar acerbic half and half et<focus /> cappuccino.
+            </text>
             <inline type="coffee">
               Cup qui a barista crema white kopi-luwak chicory trifecta.
             </inline>
+            <text />
           </block>
         </block>
       </block>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/add-mark.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/add-mark.js
index f7bfec30b..f1379cde7 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/add-mark.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/add-mark.js
@@ -24,11 +24,9 @@ const value = (
         <quote>
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
-              This is editable {i === 0 ? <anchor /> : ''}rich{i === 0 ? (
+              This is editable {i === 0 ? <anchor /> : null}rich{i === 0 ? (
                 <focus />
-              ) : (
-                ''
-              )}{' '}
+              ) : null}
               text, <i>much</i> better than a textarea! For reals.
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/delete-backward.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/delete-backward.js
index 91b2feeb0..d94a3e834 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/delete-backward.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/delete-backward.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const value = (
             <paragraph>
               This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
               textarea!
-              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
+              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
         </quote>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/delete-forward.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/delete-forward.js
index 7d08f19b1..7b7c7b7e4 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/delete-forward.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/delete-forward.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ const value = (
         <quote>
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
-              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
+              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
               This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
               textarea!
             </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-fragment-large.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-fragment-large.js
index 7f056299b..9f8807670 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-fragment-large.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-fragment-large.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ const fragment = (
       <quote>
         <paragraph>
           This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a textarea!
-          {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
+          {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
         </paragraph>
       </quote>
     ))}
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-fragment.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-fragment.js
index b59f8b59d..0df15b1c2 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-fragment.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-fragment.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ const fragment = (
       <quote key={`a${i}`}>
         <paragraph>
           This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a textarea!
-          {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
+          {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
         </paragraph>
       </quote>
     ))}
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-node-by-key.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-node-by-key.js
index 907bc4bf5..69f77b227 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-node-by-key.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-node-by-key.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
             textarea!
-            {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
+            {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
           </paragraph>
         </quote>
       ))}
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-text-by-key.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-text-by-key.js
index d160381b4..e6885a178 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-text-by-key.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-text-by-key.js
@@ -21,9 +21,8 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
               <text key={`T${i}`}>
-                This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
-                textarea!
-                {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
+                This is editable rich text, much better than a textarea!
+                {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
               </text>
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-text.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-text.js
index b19968e86..8ae9c21f7 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-text.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/insert-text.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ const value = (
         <quote>
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
-              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
+              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
               This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
               textarea!
             </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/normalize-with-problems.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/normalize-with-problems.js
index 30b13cb1d..0a5233cbc 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/normalize-with-problems.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/normalize-with-problems.js
@@ -15,13 +15,18 @@ const value = (
         <quote>
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
+              <text />
               <link>link text</link>
+              <text />
             </paragraph>
             <paragraph />
             <paragraph>
               <paragraph>
+                <text />
                 <link>link text</link>
+                <text />
                 <text> more text after</text>
+                <text />
               </paragraph>
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/normalize.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/normalize.js
index b0f178524..e5e81062c 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/normalize.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/normalize.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ const value = (
         <quote>
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
-              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
+              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
               This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
               textarea!
             </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/remove-node-by-key.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/remove-node-by-key.js
index 44fb587e6..3c8d1d5fb 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/remove-node-by-key.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/remove-node-by-key.js
@@ -21,9 +21,8 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
               <text key={`T${i}`}>
-                {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
-                This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
-                textarea!
+                {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
+                This is editable rich text, much better than a textarea!
               </text>
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/set-blocks.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/set-blocks.js
index a7d01938f..9e3865793 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/set-blocks.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/set-blocks.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const value = (
             <paragraph>
               This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
               textarea!
-              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
+              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
         </quote>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/changes/split-block.js b/benchmark/slate/changes/split-block.js
index 487dc4cf6..eaf0f1adc 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/changes/split-block.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/changes/split-block.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
               This
-              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : ''}
+              {i === 0 ? <cursor /> : null}
               is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a textarea!
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/models/from-json-big.js b/benchmark/slate/models/from-json-big.js
index 79eee4cef..7387fee41 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/models/from-json-big.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/models/from-json-big.js
@@ -7,25 +7,22 @@ module.exports.default = function(json) {
 }
 
 const input = {
+  object: 'value',
   document: {
+    object: 'document',
     nodes: Array.from(Array(100)).map(() => ({
-      type: 'list',
       object: 'block',
+      type: 'list',
       data: {},
       nodes: Array.from(Array(10)).map(() => ({
-        type: 'list-item',
         object: 'block',
+        type: 'list-item',
         data: {},
         nodes: [
           {
-            leaves: [
-              {
-                object: 'leaf',
-                marks: [],
-                text: '',
-              },
-            ],
             object: 'text',
+            marks: [],
+            text: '',
           },
           {
             type: 'link',
@@ -35,26 +32,16 @@ const input = {
             },
             nodes: [
               {
-                leaves: [
-                  {
-                    object: 'leaf',
-                    marks: [],
-                    text: 'Some text for a link',
-                  },
-                ],
                 object: 'text',
+                marks: [],
+                text: 'Some text for a link',
               },
             ],
           },
           {
-            leaves: [
-              {
-                object: 'leaf',
-                marks: [],
-                text: '',
-              },
-            ],
             object: 'text',
+            marks: [],
+            text: '',
           },
         ],
       })),
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/models/from-json.js b/benchmark/slate/models/from-json.js
index 71b2c21ce..c506b0689 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/models/from-json.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/models/from-json.js
@@ -18,25 +18,25 @@ const input = {
           nodes: [
             {
               object: 'text',
-              leaves: [
-                {
-                  text: 'This is editable ',
-                },
-                {
-                  text: 'rich',
-                  marks: [{ type: 'bold' }],
-                },
-                {
-                  text: ' text, ',
-                },
-                {
-                  text: 'much',
-                  marks: [{ type: 'italic' }],
-                },
-                {
-                  text: ' better than a textarea!',
-                },
-              ],
+              text: 'This is editable ',
+            },
+            {
+              object: 'text',
+              text: 'rich',
+              marks: [{ type: 'bold' }],
+            },
+            {
+              object: 'text',
+              text: ' text, ',
+            },
+            {
+              object: 'text',
+              text: 'much',
+              marks: [{ type: 'italic' }],
+            },
+            {
+              object: 'text',
+              text: ' better than a textarea!',
             },
           ],
         },
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/models/get-ancestors.js b/benchmark/slate/models/get-ancestors.js
index 88f77fc3a..22cc7acae 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/models/get-ancestors.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/models/get-ancestors.js
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
               <text key={`T${i}`}>
-                This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
-                textarea!
+                This is editable rich text, much better than a textarea!
               </text>
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/models/get-common-ancestor.js b/benchmark/slate/models/get-common-ancestor.js
index 760dc1d49..df473e6ea 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/models/get-common-ancestor.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/models/get-common-ancestor.js
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
               <text key={`T${i}`}>
-                This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
-                textarea!
+                This is editable rich text, much better than a textarea!
               </text>
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/models/get-descendant.js b/benchmark/slate/models/get-descendant.js
index f96a59899..b682c50bc 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/models/get-descendant.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/models/get-descendant.js
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
               <text key={`T${i}`}>
-                This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
-                textarea!
+                This is editable rich text, much better than a textarea!
               </text>
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/models/get-furthest-ancestor.js b/benchmark/slate/models/get-furthest-ancestor.js
index 6349050b3..6067408ac 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/models/get-furthest-ancestor.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/models/get-furthest-ancestor.js
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
               <text key={`T${i}`}>
-                This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
-                textarea!
+                This is editable rich text, much better than a textarea!
               </text>
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/models/get-parent.js b/benchmark/slate/models/get-parent.js
index eeccd7312..a097b5451 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/models/get-parent.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/models/get-parent.js
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
               <text key={`T${i}`}>
-                This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
-                textarea!
+                This is editable rich text, much better than a textarea!
               </text>
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/models/get-path.js b/benchmark/slate/models/get-path.js
index 74321faff..3297eac8c 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/models/get-path.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/models/get-path.js
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
               <text key={`T${i}`}>
-                This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
-                textarea!
+                This is editable rich text, much better than a textarea!
               </text>
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>
diff --git a/benchmark/slate/models/has-node.js b/benchmark/slate/models/has-node.js
index 4416c8d1f..cd0ba2f56 100644
--- a/benchmark/slate/models/has-node.js
+++ b/benchmark/slate/models/has-node.js
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ const value = (
           <paragraph>
             <paragraph>
               <text key={`T${i}`}>
-                This is editable <b>rich</b> text, <i>much</i> better than a
-                textarea!
+                This is editable rich text, much better than a textarea!
               </text>
             </paragraph>
           </paragraph>