diff --git a/core/commands/ls.go b/core/commands/ls.go
index b0fa70e51b1..72dd254ba77 100644
--- a/core/commands/ls.go
+++ b/core/commands/ls.go
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ func tabularOutput(req *cmds.Request, w io.Writer, out *LsOutput, lastObjectHash
 
 			switch {
 			case link.Type == unixfs.TDirectory && size:
-				s = "%[1]s\t\t%[3]s/\n"
+				s = "%[1]s\t-\t%[3]s/\n"
 			case link.Type == unixfs.TDirectory && !size:
 				s = "%[1]s\t%[3]s/\n"
 			case size:
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0045-ls.sh b/test/sharness/t0045-ls.sh
index fd642e34c1d..b39585fae03 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0045-ls.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0045-ls.sh
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ EOF
   test_expect_success "'ipfs ls <three dir hashes>' output looks good" '
     cat <<-\EOF >expected_ls &&
 QmfNy183bXiRVyrhyWtq3TwHn79yHEkiAGFr18P7YNzESj:
-QmSix55yz8CzWXf5ZVM9vgEvijnEeeXiTSarVtsqiiCJss   d1/
-QmR3jhV4XpxxPjPT3Y8vNnWvWNvakdcT3H6vqpRBsX1MLy   d2/
+QmSix55yz8CzWXf5ZVM9vgEvijnEeeXiTSarVtsqiiCJss - d1/
+QmR3jhV4XpxxPjPT3Y8vNnWvWNvakdcT3H6vqpRBsX1MLy - d2/
 QmeomffUNfmQy76CQGy9NdmqEnnHU9soCexBnGU3ezPHVH 5 f1
 QmNtocSs7MoDkJMc1RkyisCSKvLadujPsfJfSdJ3e1eA1M 5 f2
 
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ EOF
     cat <<-\EOF >expected_ls_headers &&
 QmfNy183bXiRVyrhyWtq3TwHn79yHEkiAGFr18P7YNzESj:
 Hash                                           Size Name
-QmSix55yz8CzWXf5ZVM9vgEvijnEeeXiTSarVtsqiiCJss      d1/
-QmR3jhV4XpxxPjPT3Y8vNnWvWNvakdcT3H6vqpRBsX1MLy      d2/
+QmSix55yz8CzWXf5ZVM9vgEvijnEeeXiTSarVtsqiiCJss -    d1/
+QmR3jhV4XpxxPjPT3Y8vNnWvWNvakdcT3H6vqpRBsX1MLy -    d2/
 QmeomffUNfmQy76CQGy9NdmqEnnHU9soCexBnGU3ezPHVH 5    f1
 QmNtocSs7MoDkJMc1RkyisCSKvLadujPsfJfSdJ3e1eA1M 5    f2
 
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ EOF
   test_expect_success "'ipfs ls --stream <three dir hashes>' output looks good" '
     cat <<-\EOF >expected_ls_stream &&
 QmfNy183bXiRVyrhyWtq3TwHn79yHEkiAGFr18P7YNzESj:
-QmSix55yz8CzWXf5ZVM9vgEvijnEeeXiTSarVtsqiiCJss           d1/
-QmR3jhV4XpxxPjPT3Y8vNnWvWNvakdcT3H6vqpRBsX1MLy           d2/
+QmSix55yz8CzWXf5ZVM9vgEvijnEeeXiTSarVtsqiiCJss -         d1/
+QmR3jhV4XpxxPjPT3Y8vNnWvWNvakdcT3H6vqpRBsX1MLy -         d2/
 QmeomffUNfmQy76CQGy9NdmqEnnHU9soCexBnGU3ezPHVH 5         f1
 QmNtocSs7MoDkJMc1RkyisCSKvLadujPsfJfSdJ3e1eA1M 5         f2
 
@@ -194,8 +194,8 @@ EOF
     cat <<-\EOF >expected_ls_stream_headers &&
 QmfNy183bXiRVyrhyWtq3TwHn79yHEkiAGFr18P7YNzESj:
 Hash                                           Size      Name
-QmSix55yz8CzWXf5ZVM9vgEvijnEeeXiTSarVtsqiiCJss           d1/
-QmR3jhV4XpxxPjPT3Y8vNnWvWNvakdcT3H6vqpRBsX1MLy           d2/
+QmSix55yz8CzWXf5ZVM9vgEvijnEeeXiTSarVtsqiiCJss -         d1/
+QmR3jhV4XpxxPjPT3Y8vNnWvWNvakdcT3H6vqpRBsX1MLy -         d2/
 QmeomffUNfmQy76CQGy9NdmqEnnHU9soCexBnGU3ezPHVH 5         f1
 QmNtocSs7MoDkJMc1RkyisCSKvLadujPsfJfSdJ3e1eA1M 5         f2
 
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0051-object.sh b/test/sharness/t0051-object.sh
index 6f70d290361..1687ba9561b 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0051-object.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0051-object.sh
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ test_object_cmd() {
   '
 
   test_expect_success "output looks good" '
-    echo "QmUNLLsPACCz1vLxQVkXqqLX5R1X345qqfHbsf67hvA3Nn  foo/" > patched_exp &&
+    echo "QmUNLLsPACCz1vLxQVkXqqLX5R1X345qqfHbsf67hvA3Nn - foo/" > patched_exp &&
     test_cmp patched_exp patched_output
   '