diff --git a/lisp/org/org-table.el b/lisp/org/org-table.el
index 42f234790c5..9a72eb5f314 100644
--- a/lisp/org/org-table.el
+++ b/lisp/org/org-table.el
@@ -6132,9 +6132,13 @@ supported."
   (with-temp-buffer
     (insert (orgtbl-to-orgtbl table params))
     (org-table-align)
-    (replace-regexp-in-string
-     "-|" "-+"
-     (replace-regexp-in-string "|-" "+-" (buffer-substring 1 (buffer-size))))))
+    (goto-char (point-min))
+    (while (search-forward "-|" nil t)
+      (replace-match "-+"))
+    (goto-char (point-min))
+    (while (search-forward "|-" nil t)
+      (replace-match "+-"))
+    (buffer-string)))
 
 (defun orgtbl-to-unicode (table params)
   "Convert the `orgtbl-mode' TABLE into a table with unicode characters.