diff --git a/lisp/org.el b/lisp/org.el
index 04da1afcd..d10cc2f5c 100644
--- a/lisp/org.el
+++ b/lisp/org.el
@@ -8114,7 +8114,7 @@ Optional argument WITH-CASE means sort case-sensitively."
   (replace-regexp-in-string
    org-verbatim-re (lambda (m) (format "%s " (match-string 4 m)))
    (replace-regexp-in-string
-    org-emph-re (lambda (m) (format " %s " (match-string 4 m)))
+    org-emph-re (lambda (m) (format "%s" (match-string 4 m)))
     (org-link-display-format s)
     t t) t t))