diff --git a/lisp/ol-docview.el b/lisp/ol-docview.el
index bb9b34a17..bcb26520b 100644
--- a/lisp/ol-docview.el
+++ b/lisp/ol-docview.el
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
       (cond
        ((eq backend 'html) (format "<a href=\"%s\">%s</a>" path desc))
        ((eq backend 'latex) (format "\\href{%s}{%s}" path desc))
-       ((eq backend 'ascii) (format "%s (%s)" desc path))
+       ((eq backend 'ascii) (format "[%s] (<%s>)" desc path))
        (t path)))))
 
 (defun org-docview-open (link _)
diff --git a/lisp/ol-man.el b/lisp/ol-man.el
index abe79086a..645a6108e 100644
--- a/lisp/ol-man.el
+++ b/lisp/ol-man.el
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ BACKEND is the current export backend."
      ((eq backend 'html) (format "<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"%s\">%s</a>" path desc))
      ((eq backend 'latex) (format "\\href{%s}{%s}" path desc))
      ((eq backend 'texinfo) (format "@uref{%s,%s}" path desc))
-     ((eq backend 'ascii) (format "%s (%s)" desc path))
+     ((eq backend 'ascii) (format "[%s] (<%s>)" desc path))
      ((eq backend 'md) (format "[%s](%s)" desc path))
      (t path))))
 
diff --git a/lisp/ox-ascii.el b/lisp/ox-ascii.el
index 110bb4601..ae4273489 100644
--- a/lisp/ox-ascii.el
+++ b/lisp/ox-ascii.el
@@ -1607,9 +1607,9 @@ INFO is a plist holding contextual information."
 	  ((guard desc)
 	   (if (plist-get info :ascii-links-to-notes)
 	       (format "[%s]" desc)
-	     (concat desc
-		     (format " (%s)"
-			     (org-ascii--describe-datum destination info)))))
+	     (format "[%s] (%s)"
+                     desc
+		     (org-ascii--describe-datum destination info))))
 	  ;; External file.
 	  (`plain-text destination)
 	  (`headline