diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposerInput.js b/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposerInput.js
index 60088ddd6f..51c9ba881b 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposerInput.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposerInput.js
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ export default class MessageComposerInput extends React.Component {
         if (contentText.startsWith('/me')) {
             contentText = contentText.replace('/me ', '');
             // bit of a hack, but the alternative would be quite complicated
-            if (contentHTML) contentHTML = contentHTML.replace('/me', '');
+            if (contentHTML) contentHTML = contentHTML.replace('/me ', '');
             sendHtmlFn = this.client.sendHtmlEmote;
             sendTextFn = this.client.sendEmoteMessage;
         }