diff --git a/stdlib/Markdown/src/Common/inline.jl b/stdlib/Markdown/src/Common/inline.jl
index 6ef0d40a33c11..dc8c1e5e1dc9f 100644
--- a/stdlib/Markdown/src/Common/inline.jl
+++ b/stdlib/Markdown/src/Common/inline.jl
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ function link(stream::IO, md::MD)
         startswith(stream, '[') || return
         text = readuntil(stream, ']', match = '[')
         text ≡ nothing && return
-        skipwhitespace(stream)
         startswith(stream, '(') || return
         url = readuntil(stream, ')', match = '(')
         url ≡ nothing && return