diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/smartypants.py b/src/calibre/utils/smartypants.py
index 51079e4e47..1bc45b15e4 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/smartypants.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/smartypants.py
@@ -696,6 +696,10 @@ def educateQuotes(str):
             """ % (close_class,), re.VERBOSE)
     str = closing_double_quotes_regex.sub(r"""\1”""", str)
 
+    if str.endswith('-"'):
+        # A string that endswith -" is sometimes used for dialogue
+        str = str[:-1] + '”'
+
     # Any remaining quotes should be opening ones.
     str = re.sub(r'"', r"""“""", str)