diff --git a/src/documents/models.py b/src/documents/models.py
index 621f20803..eb45e5470 100644
--- a/src/documents/models.py
+++ b/src/documents/models.py
@@ -135,8 +135,10 @@ class MatchingModel(models.Model):
         """
         findterms = re.compile(r'"([^"]+)"|(\S+)').findall
         normspace = re.compile(r"\s+").sub
-        return [normspace(r"\s+", (t[0] or t[1]).strip())
-                for t in findterms(self.match)]
+        return [
+            normspace(" ", (t[0] or t[1]).strip()).replace(" ", r"\s+")
+            for t in findterms(self.match)
+        ]
 
     def save(self, *args, **kwargs):