diff --git a/src/tools/Tools.cpp b/src/tools/Tools.cpp
index 7e5ad1e5b4f7e2cd8914506242d6806098103611..1420978ee8d8a615ea2b4dc091b712fe0ea33d3a 100644
--- a/src/tools/Tools.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/Tools.cpp
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ vector<string> Tools::getWords(const string & line,const char* separators,int *
     if(parenthesisLevel==0) for(unsigned j=0; j<sep.length(); j++) if(line[i]==sep[j]) found=true;
 // If at parenthesis level zero (outer)
     if(!(parenthesisLevel==0 && (found||onParenthesis))) word.push_back(line[i]);
-    if(onParenthesis) word.push_back(' ');
+    //if(onParenthesis) word.push_back(' ');
     if(line[i]==openpar) parenthesisLevel++;
     if(found && word.length()>0) {
       if(!parlevel) plumed_massert(parenthesisLevel==0,"Unmatching parenthesis in '" + line + "'");