diff --git a/tools/news/template.rst b/tools/news/template.rst
index cff0db4f6fb..91003f20226 100644
--- a/tools/news/template.rst
+++ b/tools/news/template.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {% set underline = "=" %}
-{{ top_line }}
-{{ underline * top_line|length }}
+
+{{ underline * ((top_line)|length) }}
 {% for section in sections %}
 {% set underline = "-" %}
 {% if section %}