diff --git a/wp-includes/comment-template.php b/wp-includes/comment-template.php
index 4315e3b703..f8c21c9a69 100644
--- a/wp-includes/comment-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/comment-template.php
@@ -1502,12 +1502,13 @@ function comment_form( $args = array(), $post_id = null ) {
 		            '<input id="url" name="url" type="text" value="' . esc_attr( $commenter['comment_author_url'] ) . '" size="30" /></p>',
 	);
 
+	$required_text = sprintf( ' ' . __('Required fields are marked %s'), '<span class="required">*</span>' );
 	$defaults = array(
 		'fields'               => apply_filters( 'comment_form_default_fields', $fields ),
 		'comment_field'        => '<p class="comment-form-comment"><label for="comment">' . _x( 'Comment', 'noun' ) . '</label><textarea id="comment" name="comment" cols="45" rows="8" aria-required="true"></textarea></p>',
 		'must_log_in'          => '<p class="must-log-in">' .  sprintf( __( 'You must be <a href="%s">logged in</a> to post a comment.' ), wp_login_url( apply_filters( 'the_permalink', get_permalink( $post_id ) ) ) ) . '</p>',
 		'logged_in_as'         => '<p class="logged-in-as">' . sprintf( __( 'Logged in as <a href="%1$s">%2$s</a>. <a href="%3$s" title="Log out of this account">Log out?</a>' ), admin_url( 'profile.php' ), $user_identity, wp_logout_url( apply_filters( 'the_permalink', get_permalink( $post_id ) ) ) ) . '</p>',
-		'comment_notes_before' => '<p class="comment-notes">' . __( 'Your email address will not be published.' ) . ( $req ? __( ' Required fields are marked <span class="required">*</span>' ) : '' ) . '</p>',
+		'comment_notes_before' => '<p class="comment-notes">' . __( 'Your email address will not be published.' ) . ( $req ? $required_text : '' ) . '</p>',
 		'comment_notes_after'  => '<dl class="form-allowed-tags"><dt>' . __( 'You may use these <abbr title="HyperText Markup Language">HTML</abbr> tags and attributes:' ) . '</dt> <dd><code>' . allowed_tags() . '</code></dd></dl>',
 		'id_form'              => 'commentform',
 		'id_submit'            => 'submit',