diff --git a/clite/core.js b/clite/core.js
index 222bd21..5109bf4 100644
--- a/clite/core.js
+++ b/clite/core.js
@@ -1290,11 +1290,10 @@ clite.shell = {
 clite.lib = {
 	// makes text html safe
 	htmlEncode:function(txt) {
-		return txt
-			.replace(/&/g, '&amp')
-			.replace(/>/g, '&gt')
-			.replace(/</g, '&lt')
-			.replace(/ /g, '&nbsp;');
+		var rtxt = txt.replace(/&/g, '&amp').replace(/>/g, '&gt').replace(/</g, '&lt');
+		if (rtxt.length > 0 && rtxt[rtxt.length-1])
+			return rtxt.substring(0,rtxt.length-1)+'&nbsp;';
+		return rtxt;
 	},
 	// returns the file name of a path /tmp/test/foo = foo
 	basename:function(txt) {