A large number of structural determinations of compounds containing 2-hydroxy-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid and its various deprotonated forms, 2-hydroxy-3,5-dinitrobenzoate or 2-carboxy-4,6-dinitrophenolate, are biased. The reason for the bias follows from incorrectly applied constraints or restraints on the bridging hydrogen, which is involved in the intramolecular hydrogen bond between the neighbouring carboxylic/carboxylate and oxo/hydroxy groups. The present article examines the problem of the location and refinement of such a bridging hydrogen in a number of reported compounds. The analysis of the intramolecular hydrogen bonding is also discussed.