diff --git a/src/erlydtl_runtime.erl b/src/erlydtl_runtime.erl
index 4ea506e..34b75e7 100644
--- a/src/erlydtl_runtime.erl
+++ b/src/erlydtl_runtime.erl
@@ -269,9 +269,9 @@ widthratio(Numerator, Denominator, Scale) ->
 
 spaceless(Contents) ->
     Contents1 = lists:flatten(Contents),
-    Contents2 = re:replace(Contents1, "^\s+<", "<", [{return,list}]),
-    Contents3 = re:replace(Contents2, ">\s+$", ">", [{return,list}]),
-    Contents4 = re:replace(Contents3, ">\s+<", "><", [global, {return,list}]),
+    Contents2 = re:replace(Contents1, "^\\s+<", "<", [{return,list}]),
+    Contents3 = re:replace(Contents2, ">\\s+$", ">", [{return,list}]),
+    Contents4 = re:replace(Contents3, ">\\s+<", "><", [global, {return,list}]),
     Contents4.
 
 read_file(Module, Function, DocRoot, FileName) ->