diff --git a/src/workspace.c b/src/workspace.c
index 5a0913bf..2c26b0ea 100644
--- a/src/workspace.c
+++ b/src/workspace.c
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ Con *create_workspace_on_output(Output *output, Con *content) {
             continue;
         DLOG("relevant command = %s\n", bind->command);
         char *target = bind->command + strlen("workspace ");
+        while((*target == ' ' || *target == '\t') && target != '\0')
+            target++;
         /* We check if this is the workspace
          * next/prev/next_on_output/prev_on_output/back_and_forth/number command.
          * Beware: The workspace names "next", "prev", "next_on_output",
diff --git a/testcases/t/172-start-on-named-ws.t b/testcases/t/172-start-on-named-ws.t
index 9e6806a4..09b708be 100644
--- a/testcases/t/172-start-on-named-ws.t
+++ b/testcases/t/172-start-on-named-ws.t
@@ -70,4 +70,22 @@ is_deeply(\@names, [ 'foobar' ], 'i3 starts on named workspace foobar');
 
 exit_gracefully($pid);
 
+################################################################################
+# 4: now with whitespace in front of the workspace number
+################################################################################
+
+$config = <<EOT;
+# i3 config file (v4)
+font -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--13-120-75-75-C-70-iso10646-1
+
+bindsym Mod1+1 workspace   3
+EOT
+
+$pid = launch_with_config($config);
+
+@names = @{get_workspace_names()};
+is_deeply(\@names, [ '3' ], 'i3 starts on workspace 3 without whitespace');
+
+exit_gracefully($pid);
+
 done_testing;