diff --git a/mod/data/lib.php b/mod/data/lib.php
index c150d235b5f..0feba57674b 100644
--- a/mod/data/lib.php
+++ b/mod/data/lib.php
@@ -1918,13 +1918,12 @@ function data_print_preference_form($data, $perpage, $search, $sort='', $order='
     }
 
     // actual replacement of the tags
-    $newtext = preg_replace($patterns, $replacement, $data->asearchtemplate);
 
     $options = new stdClass();
     $options->para=false;
     $options->noclean=true;
     echo '<tr><td>';
-    echo format_text($newtext, FORMAT_HTML, $options);
+    echo preg_replace($patterns, $replacement, format_text($data->asearchtemplate, FORMAT_HTML, $options));
     echo '</td></tr>';
 
     echo '<tr><td colspan="4"><br/>' .