diff --git a/tex/gregoriotex-syllable.tex b/tex/gregoriotex-syllable.tex
index 4244c5212..31f61bc92 100644
--- a/tex/gregoriotex-syllable.tex
+++ b/tex/gregoriotex-syllable.tex
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@
 \tempskip=\textaligncenter %
 \findtextaligncenter{#1}{#2}%
 \global\nextbegindifference=-\textaligncenter %
-\global\textaligncenter=\the\tempskip %
+\global\textaligncenter=\tempskip %
 \tempskip=\notesaligncenter %
 \findnextnotesaligncenter{#3}% idem
 \global\advance\nextbegindifference by \the\notesaligncenter %