diff --git a/denote.el b/denote.el
index 3755969..bd6dd9a 100644
--- a/denote.el
+++ b/denote.el
@@ -1493,8 +1493,9 @@ there.")
 (defun denote-file-prompt--format-identifier (file)
   "Return identifier of FILE for `denote-file-prompt-affixate'."
   (when-let* ((identifier (denote-retrieve-filename-identifier file))
-              (date-or-id (or (ignore-errors (denote-id-to-date identifier)) identifier)))
-    (format "%s " (propertize date-or-id 'face 'completions-annotations))))
+              (date-or-id (or (ignore-errors (denote-id-to-date identifier)) identifier))
+              (propertized (propertize date-or-id 'face 'completions-annotations)))
+    (format "%s " propertized)))
 
 (defun denote-file-prompt--format-keywords-and-signature (file)
   "Return keywords and signature of FILE for `denote-file-prompt-affixate'."