diff --git a/code/__HELPERS/text.dm b/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
index a891ad36a43..81f44db0e45 100644
--- a/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
+++ b/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 	return html_encode(sanitize_simple(t,repl_chars))
 
 /proc/paranoid_sanitize(t)
-	var/regex/alphanum_only = regex("\[^a-zA-Z0-9#]", "g")
+	var/regex/alphanum_only = regex("\[^a-zA-Z0-9# ]", "g")
 	return alphanum_only.Replace(t, "#")
 
 //Runs sanitize and strip_html_simple