diff --git a/wp-includes/functions.php b/wp-includes/functions.php
index dbd8e0f1bc..f14790828d 100644
--- a/wp-includes/functions.php
+++ b/wp-includes/functions.php
@@ -826,6 +826,7 @@ function add_query_arg() {
 				$ret .= "$k=$v";
 		}
 	}
+	$ret = trim($ret, '?');
 	$ret = $protocol . $base . $ret . $frag;
 	$ret = trim($ret, '?');
 	return $ret;