diff --git a/lisp/gnus/gnus-search.el b/lisp/gnus/gnus-search.el
index 7ee7c53aca5..07bd2bca1bb 100644
--- a/lisp/gnus/gnus-search.el
+++ b/lisp/gnus/gnus-search.el
@@ -701,7 +701,7 @@ return one word."
 
 (defun gnus-search-query-end-of-input ()
   "Are we at the end of input?"
-  (skip-chars-forward "[[:blank:]]")
+  (skip-chars-forward "[:blank:]")
   (looking-at "$"))
 
 ;;; Search engines