diff --git a/library/pem.c b/library/pem.c
index 68be8fd..5060484 100644
--- a/library/pem.c
+++ b/library/pem.c
@@ -236,12 +236,14 @@
         return( POLARSSL_ERR_PEM_NO_HEADER_FOOTER_PRESENT );
 
     s1 += strlen( header );
+    if( *s1 == ' '  ) s1++;
     if( *s1 == '\r' ) s1++;
     if( *s1 == '\n' ) s1++;
     else return( POLARSSL_ERR_PEM_NO_HEADER_FOOTER_PRESENT );
 
     end = s2;
     end += strlen( footer );
+    if( *end == ' '  ) end++;
     if( *end == '\r' ) end++;
     if( *end == '\n' ) end++;
     *use_len = end - data;