diff --git a/gio/gdbus-2.0/codegen/codegen_docbook.py b/gio/gdbus-2.0/codegen/codegen_docbook.py
index 1bfcadd4b..b7280e306 100644
--- a/gio/gdbus-2.0/codegen/codegen_docbook.py
+++ b/gio/gdbus-2.0/codegen/codegen_docbook.py
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ class DocbookCodeGenerator:
     def expand_paras(self, s, expandParamsAndConstants):
         s = self.expand(s, expandParamsAndConstants).strip()
         res = []
-        if not s.startswith("<para"):
+        if not s.startswith("<para>"):
             res.append("<para>")
         for line in s.split("\n"):
             line = line.strip()