diff --git a/src/appfinder-model.c b/src/appfinder-model.c
index 31c537d..f6a044b 100644
--- a/src/appfinder-model.c
+++ b/src/appfinder-model.c
@@ -2121,6 +2121,15 @@ xfce_appfinder_model_execute (XfceAppfinderModel  *model,
             /* skip all the other %? values for now we don't have dnd anyways */
             }
         }
+      else if (G_UNLIKELY (p[0] == '\\' && p[1] != '\0'))
+        {
+          switch (*++p)
+            {
+            case 's':
+              g_string_append_c (string, ' ');
+              break;
+            }
+        }
       else
         {
           g_string_append_c (string, *p);