diff --git a/resources/functions.php b/resources/functions.php
index 2dd01219ed..93b35e82dc 100644
--- a/resources/functions.php
+++ b/resources/functions.php
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ function format_string ($format, $data) {
 
 //get the format and use it to format the phone number
 	function format_phone($phone_number) {
-		$phone_number = trim($phone_number, "+");
+		$phone_number = trim($phone_number, ' +');
 		if (is_numeric($phone_number)) {
 			if (isset($_SESSION["format"]["phone"])) foreach ($_SESSION["format"]["phone"] as &$format) {
 				$format_count = substr_count($format, 'x');