diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.c b/refs/packed-backend.c
index 1fba804a2a..eaa8746f3e 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.c
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.c
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ static struct snapshot *create_snapshot(struct packed_ref_store *refs)
 
 		tmp = xmemdupz(snapshot->buf, eol - snapshot->buf);
 
-		if (!skip_prefix(tmp, "# pack-refs with:", (const char **)&p))
+		if (!skip_prefix(tmp, "# pack-refs with: ", (const char **)&p))
 			die_invalid_line(refs->path,
 					 snapshot->buf,
 					 snapshot->eof - snapshot->buf);