diff --git a/babel/messages/catalog.py b/babel/messages/catalog.py
index 5e6c28255..692caedc9 100644
--- a/babel/messages/catalog.py
+++ b/babel/messages/catalog.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def get_close_matches(word, possibilities, n=3, cutoff=0.6):
     \%
         (?:\(([\w]*)\))?
         (
-            [-#0\ +]?(?:\*|[\d]+)?
+            [-#0+]?(?:\*|[\d]+)?
             (?:\.(?:\*|[\d]+))?
             [hlL]?
         )