diff --git a/src/groupchat_control.py b/src/groupchat_control.py
index 05d6637c8..b728645ff 100644
--- a/src/groupchat_control.py
+++ b/src/groupchat_control.py
@@ -1044,8 +1044,8 @@ class GroupchatControl(ChatControlBase):
 				color = gtkgui_helpers._get_fade_color(self.list_treeview,
 					selected, focus)
 				colorstring = "#%04x%04x%04x" % (color.red, color.green, color.blue)
-				name += '\n<span size="small" style="italic" foreground="%s">%s'
-				'</span>' % (colorstring, gobject.markup_escape_text(status))
+				name += '\n<span size="small" style="italic" foreground="%s">%s \
+				</span>' % (colorstring, gobject.markup_escape_text(status))
 
 		model[iter_][C_IMG] = image
 		model[iter_][C_TEXT] = name