diff --git a/src/nvim/po/check.vim b/src/nvim/po/check.vim
index 2350e00e9a..22ee799e82 100644
--- a/src/nvim/po/check.vim
+++ b/src/nvim/po/check.vim
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ endwhile
 " Check that the file is well formed according to msgfmts understanding
 if executable("msgfmt")
   let filename = expand("%")
-  let a = system("msgfmt --statistics OLD_PO_FILE_INPUT=yes" . filename)
+  let a = system("msgfmt --statistics OLD_PO_FILE_INPUT=yes " . filename)
   if v:shell_error != 0
     let error = matchstr(a, filename.':\zs\d\+\ze:')+0
     for line in split(a, '\n') | echomsg line | endfor