diff --git a/emacs/notmuch-message.el b/emacs/notmuch-message.el
index 5964caa3..d3738bf4 100644
--- a/emacs/notmuch-message.el
+++ b/emacs/notmuch-message.el
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ the \"inbox\" and \"todo\", you would set
 				(concat "+" str)
 			      str))
 			  notmuch-message-replied-tags)))
-	(apply 'notmuch-tag (notmuch-id-to-query (car (car rep))) tags)))))
+	(funcall 'notmuch-tag (notmuch-id-to-query (car (car rep))) tags)))))
 
 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'notmuch-message-mark-replied)