diff --git a/base/ltfinal.dtx b/base/ltfinal.dtx
index ac4833404..d4f10d793 100644
--- a/base/ltfinal.dtx
+++ b/base/ltfinal.dtx
@@ -1335,7 +1335,14 @@
 %  \begin{macro}{\NextLinkTarget}
 % \changes{v2.2u}{2022/05/10}{Default definition for targets added}
 %    \begin{macrocode}
-\NewDocumentCommand\MakeLinkTarget{sO{}m}{}
+\NewDocumentCommand\MakeLinkTarget{sO{}m}{%
+  \ifvmode
+    \special{}%
+  \else
+    \@savsf\spacefactor
+    \smash{}%
+    \spacefactor\@savsf
+  \fi}
 \NewDocumentCommand\LinkTargetOn{}{}
 \NewDocumentCommand\LinkTargetOff{}{}
 \NewDocumentCommand\NextLinkTarget{m}{}