diff --git a/static/skin/index.js b/static/skin/index.js
index c4e40d225..082d3428a 100644
--- a/static/skin/index.js
+++ b/static/skin/index.js
@@ -238,7 +238,8 @@
             let finalValue = (keysToURIEncode.indexOf(key) >= 0) ? encodeURIComponent(value) : value;
             output += `&${key}=${finalValue}`;
         }
-        return output;
+        // exclude first char so the first params are not prefixed with &
+        return output.substring(1);
     }
 
     /* hack for library.kiwix.org magnet links (created by MirrorBrain)