diff --git a/lisp/org-html.el b/lisp/org-html.el
index 24908c53b..5cecc44a2 100644
--- a/lisp/org-html.el
+++ b/lisp/org-html.el
@@ -1639,7 +1639,7 @@ PUB-DIR is set, use this as the publishing directory."
 				"done" "todo")
 			    " " (org-export-html-get-todo-kwd-class-name
 				 (match-string 2 line))
-			    "\"> " (match-string 2 line)
+			    "\">" (match-string 2 line)
 			    "</span>" (substring line (match-end 2)))))
 
 	  ;; Does this contain a reference to a footnote?