diff --git a/nexus/lib/fileio.py b/nexus/lib/fileio.py
index ff487c608c..89d12432dd 100644
--- a/nexus/lib/fileio.py
+++ b/nexus/lib/fileio.py
@@ -1174,7 +1174,7 @@ def write_text(self):
                 if not iselem:
                     self.error('{0} is not an element'.format(e))
                 #end if
-                text += symbol+' '
+                text += e+' '
             #end for
             text += '\n'
         #end if