diff --git a/src/atom_output.F b/src/atom_output.F
index bcf24846c1..4c5b38b016 100644
--- a/src/atom_output.F
+++ b/src/atom_output.F
@@ -773,7 +773,7 @@ CONTAINS
       ELSE
          CALL open_file(file_name="GTH-PARAMETER", file_status="UNKNOWN", file_action="WRITE", unit_number=iw)
       END IF
-      WRITE (iw, '(A2,A)') gthpot%symbol, ADJUSTL(TRIM(gthpot%pname))
+      WRITE (iw, '(A)') TRIM(ADJUSTL(gthpot%symbol))//" "//TRIM(ADJUSTL(gthpot%pname))
       WRITE (iw, '(4I5)') gthpot%econf(0:3)
       WRITE (iw, '(F20.14,I8,5F20.14)') gthpot%rc, gthpot%ncl, (gthpot%cl(i), i=1, gthpot%ncl)
       IF (gthpot%lpotextended) THEN