diff --git a/autoload/ale/references.vim b/autoload/ale/references.vim
index dc0b8df2..24267bb4 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/references.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/references.vim
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ function! ale#references#HandleTSServerResponse(conn_id, response) abort
                 \ 'filename': l:response_item.file,
                 \ 'line': l:response_item.start.line,
                 \ 'column': l:response_item.start.offset,
-                \ 'match': trim(l:response_item.lineText),
+                \ 'match': substitute(l:response_item.lineText, '^\s*\(.\{-}\)\s*$', '\1', ''),
                 \})
             endfor