diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/templatetags/admin_list.py b/django/contrib/admin/templatetags/admin_list.py
index 2737a27972..2db43270d9 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/templatetags/admin_list.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/templatetags/admin_list.py
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ def items_for_result(cl, result):
             else:
                 result_repr = escape(field_val)
         if force_unicode(result_repr) == '':
-            result_repr = ' '
+            result_repr = mark_safe(' ')
         # If list_display_links not defined, add the link tag to the first field
         if (first and not cl.list_display_links) or field_name in cl.list_display_links:
             table_tag = {True:'th', False:'td'}[first]