diff --git a/goffice/utils/go-format.c b/goffice/utils/go-format.c
index cbbd85f..f7491fe 100644
--- a/goffice/utils/go-format.c
+++ b/goffice/utils/go-format.c
@@ -2123,8 +2123,9 @@ go_format_parse_number_fraction (GOFormatParseState *pstate)
 
 	/* Back up to space. */
 	while (i >= 0) {
-		int t = GET_TOKEN (i).token;
-		if (t == ' ')
+		const GOFormatParseItem *ti = &GET_TOKEN(i);
+		int t = ti->token;
+		if ((t == ' ') || ((t == TOK_ESCAPED_CHAR) && (ti->tstr[1] == ' ')))
 			break;
 		i--;
 	}
