diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/utils/FtsUtils.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/utils/FtsUtils.java
index 4a6ccf399..88959c6b2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/utils/FtsUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/utils/FtsUtils.java
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public class FtsUtils {
 			} else if (term.contains("*") || term.startsWith("-")) {
 				builder.append(term);
 			} else {
-				builder.append('*').append(term).append('*');
+				builder.append(term).append('*');
 			}
 		}
 		return builder.toString();