diff --git a/web/cgi-bin/horas/horasscripts.pl b/web/cgi-bin/horas/horasscripts.pl
index 535dbab766..a317e4f0fa 100644
--- a/web/cgi-bin/horas/horasscripts.pl
+++ b/web/cgi-bin/horas/horasscripts.pl
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ sub psalm : ScriptFunc {
   handleverses(\@lines);
 
   # put initial at begin
-  $lines[0] = "v. $lines[0]" if ($nonumbers || $psnum == 234);    # 234 - quiqumque has no numbers
+  $lines[0] =~ s/^(?=\p{Letter})/v. / if ($nonumbers || $psnum == 234);    # 234 - quiqumque has no numbers
 
   my $output = "!$title";
   $output .= " [" . ($column == 1 ? ++$psalmnum1 : ++$psalmnum2) . "]"