diff --git a/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.C b/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.C
index 4829f80bf9..b440fdb39d 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_mathmlstream.C
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, MathArray const & ar)
 
 WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, char const * s)
 {
+	if (ws.pendingSpace() && strlen(s) > 0) {
+		if (isAlpha(s[0]))
+			ws.os() << ' ';
+		ws.pendingSpace(false);
+	}
 	ws.os() << s;
 	ws.addlines(int(lyx::count(s, s + strlen(s), '\n')));
 	return ws;
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_streamstr.C b/src/mathed/math_streamstr.C
index 974a7913b8..c2c8062b33 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_streamstr.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_streamstr.C
@@ -13,12 +13,7 @@
 
 WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, string const & s)
 {
-	if (ws.pendingSpace()) {
-		ws.os() << ' ';
-		ws.pendingSpace(false);
-	}
-	ws.os() << s;
-	ws.addlines(int(lyx::count(s.begin(), s.end(), '\n')));
+	ws << s.c_str();
 	return ws;
 }