diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Shared.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Shared.hs
index 5b3a620d3..8586cd78b 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Shared.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Shared.hs
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ tabFilter tabStop = T.unlines . map go . T.lines
          in  if T.null s2
                 then s1
                 else s1 <> T.replicate
-                       (tabStop - (T.length s1 `mod` tabStop)) (T.pack " ")
+                       (tabStop - (T.length s1 `mod` tabStop)) " "
                        <> go (T.drop 1 s2)
 
 --