diff --git a/lex.go b/lex.go
index a6b26f0..fe5ceb8 100644
--- a/lex.go
+++ b/lex.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"strings"
+	"unicode"
 )
 
 type tokenType int
@@ -91,6 +92,9 @@ func lexRoot(l *lexer) (stateFn, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if unicode.IsSpace(r) {
+		return lexRoot, nil
+	}
 	switch r {
 	case '"', '`':
 		return lexStringLiteral(r), nil
diff --git a/lex_test.go b/lex_test.go
index d358083..cd371b3 100644
--- a/lex_test.go
+++ b/lex_test.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ var primitivesTests = []struct {
 	{`"this one has spaces"`, token{t_string, "this one has spaces"}},
 	{`"this one has \"quotes\" in it"`, token{t_string, `this one has "quotes" in it`}},
 	{"`this one is delimited by backticks`", token{t_string, "this one is delimited by backticks"}},
+	{`  "this one has white space on either end"  `, token{t_string, "this one has white space on either end"}},
 }
 
 func TestLexPrimities(t *testing.T) {