diff --git a/wp-includes/default-widgets.php b/wp-includes/default-widgets.php
index 96fd1bebb3..08315f09ff 100644
--- a/wp-includes/default-widgets.php
+++ b/wp-includes/default-widgets.php
@@ -871,7 +871,13 @@ class WP_Widget_Recent_Comments extends WP_Widget {
 			_prime_post_caches( $post_ids, strpos( get_option( 'permalink_structure' ), '%category%' ), false );
 
 			foreach ( (array) $comments as $comment) {
-				$output .=  '<li class="recentcomments">' . /* translators: comments widget: 1: comment author, 2: post link */ sprintf(_x('%1$s on %2$s', 'widgets'), get_comment_author_link(), '<a href="' . esc_url( get_comment_link($comment->comment_ID) ) . '">' . get_the_title($comment->comment_post_ID) . '</a>') . '</li>';
+				$output .= '<li class="recentcomments">';
+				/* translators: comments widget: 1: comment author, 2: post link */
+				$output .= sprintf( _x( '%1$s on %2$s', 'widgets' ),
+					'<span class="comment-author-link">' . get_comment_author_link() . '</span>',
+					'<a href="' . esc_url( get_comment_link( $comment->comment_ID ) ) . '">' . get_the_title( $comment->comment_post_ID ) . '</a>'
+				);
+				$output .= '</li>';
 			}
 		}
 		$output .= '</ul>';