diff --git a/tests/unit/menu/menu.html b/tests/unit/menu/menu.html
index 2aa286c69fb..5eda3f41e5f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/menu/menu.html
+++ b/tests/unit/menu/menu.html
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
 			<li class="foo">Salzburg</li>
 		</ul>
 	</li>
-	<li class="foo">Saarland</li>
+	<li class="foo"> Saarland</li>
 	<li>Salzburg
 		<ul>
 			<li>Delphi
diff --git a/tests/unit/menu/menu_events.js b/tests/unit/menu/menu_events.js
index ff7eb4c7cbc..02e63bf63a9 100644
--- a/tests/unit/menu/menu_events.js
+++ b/tests/unit/menu/menu_events.js
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ asyncTest( "handle keyboard navigation and mouse click on menu with dividers and
 });
 
 asyncTest( "handle keyboard navigation with spelling of menu items", function() {
-	expect( 2 );
+	expect( 3 );
 	var element = $( "#menu2" ).menu({
 		focus: function( event ) {
 			log( $( event.target ).find( ".ui-state-focus" ).index() );
@@ -624,6 +624,8 @@ asyncTest( "handle keyboard navigation with spelling of menu items", function()
 		equal( logOutput(), "keydown,0,1,3", "Keydown focus Addyston by spelling the first 3 letters" );
 		element.simulate( "keydown", { keyCode: 68 } );
 		equal( logOutput(), "keydown,0,1,3,4", "Keydown focus Delphi by repeating the 'd' again" );
+		element.simulate( "keydown", { keyCode: 83 } );
+		equal( logOutput(), "keydown,0,1,3,4,5", "Keydown focus Saarland ignoring leading space" );
 		start();
 	});
 	element[ 0 ].focus();
diff --git a/ui/menu.js b/ui/menu.js
index 31263fbcfdf..31f621d2294 100644
--- a/ui/menu.js
+++ b/ui/menu.js
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ return $.widget( "ui.menu", {
 			// Only match on items, not dividers or other content (#10571)
 			.filter( ".ui-menu-item" )
 			.filter(function() {
-				return regex.test( $( this ).text() );
+				return regex.test( $.trim( $( this ).text() ) );
 			});
 	}
 });