diff --git a/C4/Items.pm b/C4/Items.pm
index 15b61f0005..05612665fe 100644
--- a/C4/Items.pm
+++ b/C4/Items.pm
@@ -2556,7 +2556,7 @@ sub PrepareItemrecordDisplay {
# oversize field (textarea)
$subfield_data{marc_value} = qq(\n");
} else {
- $subfield_data{marc_value} = "";
+ $subfield_data{marc_value} = qq();
}
push( @loop_data, \%subfield_data );
}