Remove some tags from shortcodes output? Trying to fix autop

Question

remove_filter( 'the_content', 'wpautop' );
add_filter( 'the_content', 'wpautop' , 99 );
add_filter( 'the_content', 'shortcode_unautop', 100 );

Work for almost all my shortcodes excluding one that returns a list of custom post type thumbnails like this:

<li>
    <a href="#">
       <div class="image-container">
          <div class="image"></div>
          <div class="overlay"></div>
        </div>
    <p></a>
</li>

No matter what I do it always adds this <p> before </a> despite returning them inline (I don't even have single space between them in my shortcode source, eg.

<?php while ( $loop->have_posts() ) : $loop->the_post(); ?>

    <li><a href="#"><div class="image-container"><div class="image"></div><div class="overlay"></div></div></a></li>

<?php endwhile; ?>

Is there any way of removing this empty P from my shortcodes output?

Answer 1

I think it's because of invalid markup. autop is trying (poorly) to fix code. Change your divs to spans and in your stylesheet set them as block.