diff --git a/lisp/ffap.el b/lisp/ffap.el
index d481f905412..8f1ecd47f0f 100644
--- a/lisp/ffap.el
+++ b/lisp/ffap.el
@@ -1004,7 +1004,7 @@ If a given RFC isn't in these then `ffap-rfc-path' is offered."
     ;; Slightly controversial decisions:
     ;; * strip trailing "@" and ":"
     ;; * no commas (good for latex)
-    (file "--:\\\\$\\{\\}+<>@-Z_[:alpha:]~*?" "<@" "@>;.,!:")
+    (file "--:\\\\${}+<>@-Z_[:alpha:]~*?" "<@" "@>;.,!:")
     ;; An url, or maybe a email/news message-id:
     (url "--:=&?$+@-Z_[:alpha:]~#,%;*()!'" "^[0-9a-zA-Z]" ":;.,!?")
     ;; Find a string that does *not* contain a colon: