diff --git a/pywb/warcserver/index/indexsource.py b/pywb/warcserver/index/indexsource.py
index e5e3f7bb..ced10f15 100644
--- a/pywb/warcserver/index/indexsource.py
+++ b/pywb/warcserver/index/indexsource.py
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ class XmlQueryIndexSource(BaseIndexSource):
         try:
             limit = params.get('limit')
             if limit:
-                query = 'limit: {0} '.format(limit) + query
+                query = 'limit:{0} '.format(limit) + query
 
             # OpenSearch API requires double-escaping
             # TODO: add option to not double escape if needed
diff --git a/pywb/warcserver/index/test/test_xmlquery_indexsource.py b/pywb/warcserver/index/test/test_xmlquery_indexsource.py
index 63f832ce..3986d11e 100644
--- a/pywb/warcserver/index/test/test_xmlquery_indexsource.py
+++ b/pywb/warcserver/index/test/test_xmlquery_indexsource.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ com,example)/ 20180112200243 example.warc.gz
 com,example)/ 20180216200300 example.warc.gz"""
         assert(key_ts_res(reslist) == expected)
         assert(errs == {})
-        assert query_url == 'http://localhost:8080/path?q=limit%3A+100+type%3Aurlquery+url%3Ahttp%253A%252F%252Fexample.com%252F'
+        assert query_url == 'http://localhost:8080/path?q=limit%3A100+type%3Aurlquery+url%3Ahttp%253A%252F%252Fexample.com%252F'
         assert reslist[0]['length'] == '123'
         assert 'length' not in reslist[1]