diff --git a/main/src/ui/util/helper.vala b/main/src/ui/util/helper.vala
index b147e5d7..b6c9cb5a 100644
--- a/main/src/ui/util/helper.vala
+++ b/main/src/ui/util/helper.vala
@@ -299,7 +299,9 @@ public static string parse_add_markup(string s_, string? highlight_word, bool pa
                     int start, end;
                     match_info.fetch_pos(2, out start, out end);
                     return parse_add_markup(s[0:start-1], highlight_word, parse_links, parse_text_markup, already_escaped) +
-                        s[start-1:start] + @"<$(convenience_tag[i])>" + s[start:end] + @"</$(convenience_tag[i])>" + s[end:end+1] +
+                        "<span color='#999'>" +  s[start-1:start] + "</span>" +
+                        @"<$(convenience_tag[i])>" + s[start:end] + @"</$(convenience_tag[i])>" +
+                        "<span color='#999'>" + s[end:end+1] + "</span>" +
                         parse_add_markup(s[end+1:s.length], highlight_word, parse_links, parse_text_markup, already_escaped);
                 }
             } catch (RegexError e) {