diff --git a/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.C b/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.C
index 5a1f6017d8..a1f73f0e3f 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.C
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "math_mathmlstream.h"
 #include "math_inset.h"
 #include "math_extern.h"
+#include "debug.h"
 #include "support/lyxalgo.h"
 #include "support/LOstream.h"
 
@@ -23,12 +24,27 @@ WriteStream::WriteStream(ostream & os)
 {}
 
 
+WriteStream::~WriteStream()
+{
+	if (pendingspace_)
+		os_ << ' ';
+}
+
+
 void WriteStream::addlines(unsigned int n)
 {
 	line_ += n;
 }
 
 
+void WriteStream::pendingSpace(bool how)
+{
+	if (how)
+		os_ << ' ';
+	pendingspace_ = how;
+}
+
+
 WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, MathAtom const & at)
 {
 	at->write(ws);
@@ -45,6 +61,11 @@ WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, MathArray const & ar)
 
 WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, char const * s)
 {
+	if (ws.pendingSpace()) {
+		lyxerr << "writing a space in a string\n";
+		ws.os() << ' ';
+		ws.pendingSpace(false);
+	}
 	ws.os() << s;
 	ws.addlines(int(lyx::count(s, s + strlen(s), '\n')));
 	return ws;
@@ -54,8 +75,12 @@ WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, char const * s)
 WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, char c)
 {
 	if (ws.pendingSpace()) {
-		if (isalpha(c))
-			ws.os() << ' ';
+		//if (isalpha(c))
+		//	ws.os() << ' ';
+		if (!isalpha(c)) {
+			lyxerr << "I'd like to suppress writing a space\n";
+		}
+		ws.os() << ' ';
 		ws.pendingSpace(false);
 	}
 	ws.os() << c;
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.h b/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.h
index 9f1ac9fed2..ebd7c65242 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.h
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ public:
 	///
 	explicit WriteStream(std::ostream & os_);
 	///
+	~WriteStream();
+	///
 	int line() const { return line_; }
 	///
 	bool fragile() const { return fragile_; }
@@ -37,7 +39,7 @@ public:
 	///
 	void addlines(unsigned int);
 	/// writes space if next thing is isalpha()
-	void pendingSpace(bool how) { pendingspace_ = how; }
+	void pendingSpace(bool how);
 	/// writes space if next thing is isalpha()
 	bool pendingSpace() const { return pendingspace_; }
 private: