diff --git a/src/fcmatch.c b/src/fcmatch.c
index a181496..e46eefe 100644
--- a/src/fcmatch.c
+++ b/src/fcmatch.c
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ FcCompareFamily (FcValue *v1, FcValue *v2)
     const FcChar8* v1_string = fc_value_string(v1);
     const FcChar8* v2_string = fc_value_string(v2);
 
-    if (FcToLower(*v1_string) != FcToLower(*v2_string))
+    if (FcToLower(*v1_string) != FcToLower(*v2_string) &&
+	*v1_string != ' ' && *v2_string != ' ')
        return 1.0;
 
     return (double) FcStrCmpIgnoreBlanksAndCase (v1_string, v2_string) != 0;