diff --git a/rna_tools/tools/rna_x3dna/rna_x3dna.py b/rna_tools/tools/rna_x3dna/rna_x3dna.py
index b8f513912..a9da3f673 100755
--- a/rna_tools/tools/rna_x3dna/rna_x3dna.py
+++ b/rna_tools/tools/rna_x3dna/rna_x3dna.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ def get_secstruc(self):
         """
         hits = re.search("as a whole and per chain.*?\n(?P<ss>.+?)\n\*", self.report, re.DOTALL|re.MULTILINE)
         if hits:
-             return hits.group('ss')
+             return hits.group('ss').strip()
         else:
             self.report.split('\n')[-1] # tofix