diff --git a/ueforth/common/base_tests.fs b/ueforth/common/base_tests.fs
index 552bbdd..dd163b8 100644
--- a/ueforth/common/base_tests.fs
+++ b/ueforth/common/base_tests.fs
@@ -117,3 +117,8 @@ e: test-compiler-off
   : test [ 123 111 + literal ] ;
   test 234 = assert
 ;e
+
+e: test-empty-string
+  : test s" " ;
+  test 0 = assert drop
+;e
diff --git a/ueforth/common/core.h b/ueforth/common/core.h
index cd575a9..a36a80c 100644
--- a/ueforth/common/core.h
+++ b/ueforth/common/core.h
@@ -136,8 +136,10 @@ static int match(char sep, char ch) {
 }
 
 static cell_t parse(cell_t sep, cell_t *ret) {
-  while (g_sys.tin < g_sys.ntib &&
-         match(sep, g_sys.tib[g_sys.tin])) { ++g_sys.tin; }
+  if (sep == ' ') {
+    while (g_sys.tin < g_sys.ntib &&
+           match(sep, g_sys.tib[g_sys.tin])) { ++g_sys.tin; }
+  }
   *ret = (cell_t) (g_sys.tib + g_sys.tin);
   while (g_sys.tin < g_sys.ntib &&
          !match(sep, g_sys.tib[g_sys.tin])) { ++g_sys.tin; }
diff --git a/ueforth/common/utils_tests.fs b/ueforth/common/utils_tests.fs
index a769f94..8c6ee6c 100644
--- a/ueforth/common/utils_tests.fs
+++ b/ueforth/common/utils_tests.fs
@@ -70,3 +70,33 @@ e: test-see-fornext
   see test
   out: : test  >R DONEXT ; 
 ;e
+
+e: test-string-strides
+  : test0 1 if ." " then ;
+  : test1 1 if ." >" then ;
+  : test2 1 if ." ->" then ;
+  : test3 1 if ." -->" then ;
+  : test4 1 if ." --->" then ;
+  : test5 1 if ." ---->" then ;
+  : test6 1 if ." ----->" then ;
+  : test7 1 if ." ------>" then ;
+  : test8 1 if ." ------->" then ;
+  see test0
+  out: : test0  1 0BRANCH s" " type ; 
+  see test1
+  out: : test1  1 0BRANCH s" >" type ; 
+  see test2
+  out: : test2  1 0BRANCH s" ->" type ; 
+  see test3
+  out: : test3  1 0BRANCH s" -->" type ; 
+  see test4
+  out: : test4  1 0BRANCH s" --->" type ; 
+  see test5
+  out: : test5  1 0BRANCH s" ---->" type ; 
+  see test6
+  out: : test6  1 0BRANCH s" ----->" type ; 
+  see test7
+  out: : test7  1 0BRANCH s" ------>" type ; 
+  see test8
+  out: : test8  1 0BRANCH s" ------->" type ; 
+;e