diff --git a/src/V3PreLex.l b/src/V3PreLex.l
index 429d1c3cc..63e5989c2 100644
--- a/src/V3PreLex.l
+++ b/src/V3PreLex.l
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ bom             [\357\273\277]
                           BEGIN(ENCBASE64);
                           return VP_TEXT; }
 <PRAGMAPRT>("begin_protected"|"end_protected"|"end")[\n\r]  { FL_FWDC; linenoInc(); BEGIN(INITIAL); return VP_TEXT; }
-<PRAGMAPRT>"version="[^\n\r]*[\n\r] {
+<PRAGMAPRT>"version"{wsn}*={wsn}*[^\n\r]*[\n\r] {
                           FL_FWDC;
                           linenoInc();
                           BEGIN(INITIAL);
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_lint_pragma_protected.v b/test_regress/t/t_lint_pragma_protected.v
index 3852391fc..5525477b2 100644
--- a/test_regress/t/t_lint_pragma_protected.v
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_lint_pragma_protected.v
@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@
 module t_lint_pragma_protected;
 
 `pragma protect begin_protected
+// Any amount of whitespace should be ok
 `pragma protect version=1
+`pragma protect version = 1
+`pragma protect version= 1
+`pragma protect version =1
 `pragma protect encrypt_agent="XXXXX"
 `pragma protect encrypt_agent_info="YYYYY"
 `pragma protect data_method="AES128-CBC"