diff --git a/docs/source/using_traitlets.rst b/docs/source/using_traitlets.rst
index 8dada486..ea2cf6c2 100644
--- a/docs/source/using_traitlets.rst
+++ b/docs/source/using_traitlets.rst
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Default values, and checking type and value
 -------------------------------------------
 
 At its most basic, traitlets provides type checking, and dynamic default
-value generation of attributes on :class:``traitlets.HasTraits``
+value generation of attributes on :class:`traitlets.HasTraits`
 subclasses:
 
 .. code:: python