diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/smarts/html.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/smarts/html.py
index 7c897cc832..b83bdaf94f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/smarts/html.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/smarts/html.py
@@ -500,8 +500,10 @@ class Smarts(NullSmarts):
         text = self.get_smart_selection(editor, update=True)
         c = editor.textCursor()
         pos = min(c.position(), c.anchor())
+        sellen = abs(c.position() - c.anchor())
         c.insertText(f'{opent}{text}{close}')
         c.setPosition(pos + len(opent))
+        c.setPosition(c.position() + sellen, QTextCursor.MoveMode.KeepAnchor)
         editor.setTextCursor(c)
 
     def verify_for_spellcheck(self, cursor, highlighter):