diff --git a/top/top.c b/top/top.c
index 617c67ab..bb2789c9 100644
--- a/top/top.c
+++ b/top/top.c
@@ -1471,9 +1471,8 @@ static inline const char *make_str_utf8 (const char *str, int width, int justr,
    int delta = utf8_delta(str);
 
    if (width + delta < snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s", str)) {
-      snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%.*s", utf8_embody(str, width - 1), str);
+      snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%.*s%c", utf8_embody(str, width-1), str, COLPLUSCH);
       delta = utf8_delta(buf);
-      buf[width + delta - 1] = COLPLUSCH;
       AUTOX_COL(col);
    }
    return justify_pad(buf, width + delta, justr);