diff --git a/conda_smithy/linter/hints.py b/conda_smithy/linter/hints.py
index 21c99a1a7..290e39d2b 100644
--- a/conda_smithy/linter/hints.py
+++ b/conda_smithy/linter/hints.py
@@ -246,15 +246,33 @@ def hint_noarch_python_use_python_min(
 ):
     if noarch_value == "python" and not outputs_section:
         hint = ""
-        for section_name, syntax, reqs in [
-            ("host", "python {{ python_min }}", host_reqs),
-            ("run", "python >={{ python_min }}", run_reqs),
-            ("test.requires", "python {{ python_min }}", test_reqs),
+        for section_name, syntax, report_syntax, reqs in [
+            (
+                "host",
+                r"python\s+{{ python_min }}",
+                "python {{ python_min }}",
+                host_reqs,
+            ),
+            (
+                "run",
+                r"python\s+>={{ python_min }}",
+                "python >={{ python_min }}",
+                run_reqs,
+            ),
+            (
+                "test.requires",
+                r"python\s+{{ python_min }}",
+                "python {{ python_min }}",
+                test_reqs,
+            ),
         ]:
             if recipe_version == 1:
                 syntax = syntax.replace(
                     "{{ python_min }}", "${{ python_min }}"
                 )
+                report_syntax = report_syntax.replace(
+                    "{{ python_min }}", "${{ python_min }}"
+                )
                 test_syntax = syntax
             else:
                 test_syntax = syntax.replace("{{ python_min }}", "9999")
@@ -263,12 +281,12 @@ def hint_noarch_python_use_python_min(
                 if (
                     req.strip().split()[0] == "python"
                     and req != "python"
-                    and test_syntax in req
+                    and re.search(test_syntax, req)
                 ):
                     break
             else:
                 hint += (
-                    f"\n   - For the `{section_name}` section of the recipe, you should usually use `{syntax}` "
+                    f"\n   - For the `{section_name}` section of the recipe, you should usually use `{report_syntax}` "
                     f"for the `python` entry."
                 )
 
diff --git a/news/2151-hint-less-spaces.rst b/news/2151-hint-less-spaces.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f18eda1af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/2151-hint-less-spaces.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+**Added:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Changed:**
+
+* Changed ``noarch-python`` hint to not require exactly one space between python and the Jinja2 expression. (#2151)
+
+**Deprecated:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Removed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Fixed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Security:**
+
+* <news item>
diff --git a/tests/test_lint_recipe.py b/tests/test_lint_recipe.py
index eb12e9ffd..eaeb13bd5 100644
--- a/tests/test_lint_recipe.py
+++ b/tests/test_lint_recipe.py
@@ -3200,6 +3200,30 @@ def test_hint_pip_no_build_backend(
             ),
             [],
         ),
+        (
+            textwrap.dedent(
+                """
+                {% set python_min = '3.7' %}
+
+                package:
+                  name: python
+
+                build:
+                  noarch: python
+
+                requirements:
+                  host:
+                    - python  {{ python_min }}
+                  run:
+                    - python  >={{ python_min }}
+
+                test:
+                  requires:
+                    - python    {{ python_min }}
+                """
+            ),
+            [],
+        ),
     ],
 )
 def test_hint_noarch_python_use_python_min(