diff --git a/man7/bootparam.7 b/man7/bootparam.7
index ecfd3c52d..1c5bfe622 100644
--- a/man7/bootparam.7
+++ b/man7/bootparam.7
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ use 'root=/dev/fd1'.
 
 The root device can be specified symbolically or numerically.
 A symbolic specification has the form
-.I /dev/XXYN,
+.IR /dev/XXYN ,
 where XX designates
 the device type ('hd' for ST-506 compatible hard disk, with Y in
 \&'a'-'d'; 'sd' for SCSI compatible disk, with Y in 'a'-'e';