diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index c67d650b44..be10219e07 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ This document is intended for Spotless developers.
 We adhere to the [keepachangelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) format (starting after version `1.27.0`).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Fixed
+* Update IndentStep to allow leading space on multiline comments ([#1072](https://github.com/diffplug/spotless/pull/1072)).
 
 ## [2.21.1] - 2022-01-06
 ### Changed
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/diffplug/spotless/generic/IndentStep.java b/lib/src/main/java/com/diffplug/spotless/generic/IndentStep.java
index e50a45b82e..4281df736c 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/diffplug/spotless/generic/IndentStep.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/diffplug/spotless/generic/IndentStep.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2016 DiffPlug
+ * Copyright 2016-2022 DiffPlug
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ String format(String raw) {
 					++contentStart;
 				}
 
+				// detect potential multi-line comments
+				boolean mightBeMultiLineComment = (contentStart < raw.length()) && (raw.charAt(contentStart) == '*');
+
 				// add the leading space in a canonical way
 				if (numSpaces > 0) {
 					switch (state.type) {
@@ -112,6 +115,9 @@ String format(String raw) {
 						for (int i = 0; i < numSpaces / state.numSpacesPerTab; ++i) {
 							builder.append('\t');
 						}
+						if (mightBeMultiLineComment && (numSpaces % state.numSpacesPerTab == 1)) {
+							builder.append(' ');
+						}
 						break;
 					default:
 						throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unexpected enum " + state.type);
diff --git a/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md b/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md
index 144ee057d6..1f8c3fa489 100644
--- a/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md
+++ b/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 We adhere to the [keepachangelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) format (starting after version `3.27.0`).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Fixed
+* Update IndentStep to allow leading space on multiline comments ([#1072](https://github.com/diffplug/spotless/pull/1072)).
 
 ## [6.1.1] - 2022-01-06
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/plugin-maven/CHANGES.md b/plugin-maven/CHANGES.md
index a9709b9d27..2c81d28eef 100644
--- a/plugin-maven/CHANGES.md
+++ b/plugin-maven/CHANGES.md
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 We adhere to the [keepachangelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) format (starting after version `1.27.0`).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Fixed
+* Update IndentStep to allow leading space on multiline comments ([#1072](https://github.com/diffplug/spotless/pull/1072)).
 
 ## [2.19.0] - 2022-01-06
 ### Added
diff --git a/testlib/src/main/resources/indent/IndentedWithSpace.test b/testlib/src/main/resources/indent/IndentedWithSpace.test
index 7fd1449575..582b0a9aca 100644
--- a/testlib/src/main/resources/indent/IndentedWithSpace.test
+++ b/testlib/src/main/resources/indent/IndentedWithSpace.test
@@ -2,8 +2,13 @@ package com.github.youribonnaffe.gradle.format;
 
 import java.util.function.Function;
 
-
+/**
+ * Test class.
+ */
 public class Java8Test {
+    /**
+     * Test method.
+     */
     public void doStuff() throws Exception {
         Function<String, Integer> example = Integer::parseInt;
         example.andThen(val -> {
@@ -21,7 +26,11 @@ public class Java8Test {
                 throw new Exception();
         }
     }
-    
+
+    /** Test enum
+    * with weirdly formatted javadoc
+    * which IndentStep should not change
+    */
     public enum SimpleEnum {
         A, B, C;
     }
diff --git a/testlib/src/main/resources/indent/IndentedWithTab.test b/testlib/src/main/resources/indent/IndentedWithTab.test
index 83f1b7f793..9124dfa92f 100644
--- a/testlib/src/main/resources/indent/IndentedWithTab.test
+++ b/testlib/src/main/resources/indent/IndentedWithTab.test
@@ -2,8 +2,13 @@ package com.github.youribonnaffe.gradle.format;
 
 import java.util.function.Function;
 
-
+/**
+ * Test class.
+ */
 public class Java8Test {
+	/**
+	 * Test method.
+	 */
 	public void doStuff() throws Exception {
 		Function<String, Integer> example = Integer::parseInt;
 		example.andThen(val -> {
@@ -21,7 +26,11 @@ public class Java8Test {
 				throw new Exception();
 		}
 	}
-	
+
+	/** Test enum
+	* with weirdly formatted javadoc
+	* which IndentStep should not change
+	*/
 	public enum SimpleEnum {
 		A, B, C;
 	}
diff --git a/testlib/src/test/java/com/diffplug/spotless/generic/IndentStepTest.java b/testlib/src/test/java/com/diffplug/spotless/generic/IndentStepTest.java
index 33ca5a8262..c7df4639e3 100644
--- a/testlib/src/test/java/com/diffplug/spotless/generic/IndentStepTest.java
+++ b/testlib/src/test/java/com/diffplug/spotless/generic/IndentStepTest.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2016-2021 DiffPlug
+ * Copyright 2016-2022 DiffPlug
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import com.diffplug.spotless.FormatterStep;
 import com.diffplug.spotless.ResourceHarness;
 import com.diffplug.spotless.SerializableEqualityTester;
+import com.diffplug.spotless.StepHarness;
 
 class IndentStepTest extends ResourceHarness {
 	@Test
@@ -82,4 +83,13 @@ protected FormatterStep create() {
 			}
 		}.testEquals();
 	}
+
+	@Test
+	void allowLeadingSpaceIfMultiLineComment() throws Exception {
+		StepHarness.forStep(IndentStep.Type.TAB.create(4))
+				.testUnaffected("* test")
+				.testUnaffected(" * test")
+				.testUnaffected("\t* test")
+				.test("    * test", "\t* test");
+	}
 }