diff --git a/mailnews/news/src/nsNNTPProtocol.cpp b/mailnews/news/src/nsNNTPProtocol.cpp
index 9ca50bcf37f7..7c8766afba1a 100644
--- a/mailnews/news/src/nsNNTPProtocol.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/news/src/nsNNTPProtocol.cpp
@@ -974,7 +974,7 @@ nsresult nsNNTPProtocol::ParseURL(nsIURI * aURL, PRBool * bValP, char ** aGroup,
 	s = PL_strchr (group, '@');
     if (s)
 	{
-	  message_id = group;
+      message_id = nsUnescape(group);
 	  group = 0;
 	}
     else if (!*group)