diff --git a/code/services-application/search-service/src/main/java/nu/marginalia/search/command/commands/BangCommand.java b/code/services-application/search-service/src/main/java/nu/marginalia/search/command/commands/BangCommand.java
index daec60f6..5dbbec1c 100644
--- a/code/services-application/search-service/src/main/java/nu/marginalia/search/command/commands/BangCommand.java
+++ b/code/services-application/search-service/src/main/java/nu/marginalia/search/command/commands/BangCommand.java
@@ -53,14 +53,13 @@ public class BangCommand implements SearchCommandInterface {
             if (!bm.isRelativeSpaceOrInvalid(bangKey.length()))
                 continue;
 
-            StringBuilder ret = new StringBuilder(bm.prefix().trim());
+            String prefix = bm.prefix().trim();
+            String suffix = bm.suffix(bangKey.length()).trim();
 
-            if (!ret.isEmpty())
-                ret.append(" ");
+            String ret = STR."\{prefix} \{suffix}".trim();
 
-            ret.append(bm.suffix(bangKey.length()).trim());
-
-            return Optional.of(ret.toString());
+            return Optional.of(ret)
+                    .filter(s -> !s.isBlank());
         }
 
         return Optional.empty();
diff --git a/code/services-application/search-service/src/test/java/nu/marginalia/search/command/commands/BangCommandTest.java b/code/services-application/search-service/src/test/java/nu/marginalia/search/command/commands/BangCommandTest.java
index 047b646d..90288678 100644
--- a/code/services-application/search-service/src/test/java/nu/marginalia/search/command/commands/BangCommandTest.java
+++ b/code/services-application/search-service/src/test/java/nu/marginalia/search/command/commands/BangCommandTest.java
@@ -34,4 +34,20 @@ class BangCommandTest {
         assertEquals(match.get(), "test");
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testMatchPattern2() {
+        var match = bangCommand.matchBangPattern("test !g", "!g");
+
+        assertTrue(match.isPresent());
+        assertEquals(match.get(), "test");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testMatchPattern3() {
+        var match = bangCommand.matchBangPattern("hello !g world", "!g");
+
+        assertTrue(match.isPresent());
+        assertEquals(match.get(), "hello world");
+    }
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file