diff --git a/src/base/attr_line.cc b/src/base/attr_line.cc
index 89865f1b..98a07d2a 100644
--- a/src/base/attr_line.cc
+++ b/src/base/attr_line.cc
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ consume(const string_fragment text)
         return word{split_res.first, split_res.second};
     }
 
+    if (isspace(text.front())) {
+        auto split_res = text.split_n(1).value();
+
+        return space{split_res.first, split_res.second};
+    }
+
     if (SPACE_RE.match(pc, pi)) {
         auto split_res = text.split_n(pc.all()->length()).value();