diff --git a/emacs/notmuch.el b/emacs/notmuch.el
index 378c004b..eecff23e 100644
--- a/emacs/notmuch.el
+++ b/emacs/notmuch.el
@@ -582,11 +582,13 @@ matching will be applied."
    ((string-equal field "count")
     (insert (format (cdr (assoc field notmuch-search-result-format)) count)))
    ((string-equal field "authors")
-    (insert (let ((sample (format (cdr (assoc field notmuch-search-result-format)) "")))
-	      (if (> (length authors)
-		     (length sample))
-		  (concat (substring authors 0 (- (length sample) 4)) "... ")
-		(format (cdr (assoc field notmuch-search-result-format)) authors)))))
+    (insert (let* ((format-string (cdr (assoc field notmuch-search-result-format)))
+		   (formatted-sample (format format-string ""))
+		   (formatted-authors (format format-string authors)))
+	      (if (> (length formatted-authors)
+		     (length formatted-sample))
+		  (concat (substring authors 0 (- (length formatted-sample) 4)) "... ")
+		formatted-authors))))
    ((string-equal field "subject")
     (insert (format (cdr (assoc field notmuch-search-result-format)) subject)))
    ((string-equal field "tags")