diff --git a/qutebrowser/misc/readline.py b/qutebrowser/misc/readline.py
index cb0ffd996..5dd9d19c6 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/misc/readline.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/misc/readline.py
@@ -158,7 +158,23 @@ class ReadlineBridge:
         widget = self._widget()
         if widget is None:
             return
-        widget.cursorWordBackward(True)
+        cursor_position = widget.cursorPosition()
+        text = widget.text()
+
+        target_position = cursor_position
+
+        is_word_boundary = True
+        while is_word_boundary and target_position > 0:
+            is_word_boundary = text[target_position - 1] == " "
+            target_position-=1
+
+        is_word_boundary = False
+        while not is_word_boundary and target_position > 0:
+            is_word_boundary = text[target_position - 1] == " "
+            target_position-=1
+
+        moveby = cursor_position - target_position - 1
+        widget.cursorBackward(True, moveby)
         self._deleted[widget] = widget.selectedText()
         widget.del_()
 
@@ -211,3 +227,4 @@ class ReadlineBridge:
         if widget is None:
             return
         widget.backspace()
+