diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs
index e234faac8..02749ce1f 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ fn dash_autoformat(s: &mut Session) -> Result<(), CmdError> {
     } else if before.ends_with(' ')
         && let Some(i) = before.trim_end().rfind("--")
         && i > 0
-        && before.trim_end().get(i - 1..i).is_some_and(|c| c != " ")
+        && before.trim_end()[..i].chars().next_back().is_some_and(|c| c != ' ')
     {
         let p = s.doc.para_mut(f.story, &f.path)?;
         let props = p.props_at(i).clone();
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests_typing.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests_typing.rs
index e89b0a5b2..4788df900 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests_typing.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests_typing.rs
@@ -357,8 +357,8 @@ fn web_addresses_become_links() {
 
 #[test]
 fn dashes() {
-    let s = typed("a -- b and c - d and e--f ");
-    assert_eq!(s.doc.plain_text(StoryRef::Body), "A – b and c – d and e—f ");
+    let s = typed("a -- b and c - d and e--f and café--g ");
+    assert_eq!(s.doc.plain_text(StoryRef::Body), "A – b and c – d and e—f and café—g ");
 }
 
 #[test]