diff --git a/src/node.js b/src/node.js
index 8ca8fca3..675e9799 100644
--- a/src/node.js
+++ b/src/node.js
@@ -22,13 +22,15 @@ function flankingWhitespace (node) {
   var trailing = ''
 
   if (!node.isBlock) {
-    var hasLeading = /^[ \r\n\t]/.test(node.textContent)
-    var hasTrailing = /[ \r\n\t]$/.test(node.textContent)
+    var hasLeading = /^\s/.test(node.textContent)
+    var hasTrailing = /\s$/.test(node.textContent)
+    var blankWithSpaces = node.isBlank && hasLeading && hasTrailing
 
     if (hasLeading && !isFlankedByWhitespace('left', node)) {
       leading = ' '
     }
-    if (hasTrailing && !isFlankedByWhitespace('right', node)) {
+
+    if (!blankWithSpaces && hasTrailing && !isFlankedByWhitespace('right', node)) {
       trailing = ' '
     }
   }
diff --git a/test/index.html b/test/index.html
index b52c5928..b4d6215e 100644
--- a/test/index.html
+++ b/test/index.html
@@ -888,6 +888,20 @@ <h2>This is a header.</h2>
   <pre class="expected">![](http://example.com/logo.png)</pre>
 </div>
 
+<div class="case" data-name="text separated by a space in an element">
+  <div class="input">
+    <p>Foo<span> </span>Bar</p>
+  </div>
+  <pre class="expected">Foo Bar</pre>
+</div>
+
+<div class="case" data-name="text separated by a non-breaking space in an element">
+  <div class="input">
+    <p>Foo<span>&nbsp;</span>Bar</p>
+  </div>
+  <pre class="expected">Foo Bar</pre>
+</div>
+
 <!-- /TEST CASES -->
 
 <script src="turndown-test.browser.js"></script>