diff --git a/lisp/mail/mailalias.el b/lisp/mail/mailalias.el
index 84f12876eb6..cedc40ab9a9 100644
--- a/lisp/mail/mailalias.el
+++ b/lisp/mail/mailalias.el
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ removed from alias expansions."
 		    seplen (- (point) epos))
 	    (setq epos (marker-position end1) seplen 0))
 	  (let (translation
-		(string (buffer-substring pos epos)))
+		(string (buffer-substring-no-properties pos epos)))
 	    (if (and (not (assoc string disabled-aliases))
 		     (setq translation
 			   (cdr (assoc string mail-aliases))))