diff --git a/lib/rake/application.rb b/lib/rake/application.rb
index 8927d951b..c86cb1fa2 100644
--- a/lib/rake/application.rb
+++ b/lib/rake/application.rb
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ def parse_task_string(string) # :nodoc:
       args = []
 
       begin
-        /((?:[^\\,]|\\.)*?)\s*(?:,\s*(.*))?$/ =~ remaining_args
+        /\s*((?:[^\\,]|\\.)*?)\s*(?:,\s*(.*))?$/ =~ remaining_args
 
         remaining_args = $2
         args << $1.gsub(/\\(.)/, '\1')
diff --git a/test/test_rake_task_argument_parsing.rb b/test/test_rake_task_argument_parsing.rb
index fc494a463..e65712b37 100644
--- a/test/test_rake_task_argument_parsing.rb
+++ b/test/test_rake_task_argument_parsing.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ def test_can_handle_spaces_between_args
     assert_equal ["one", "two", "three", "four"], args
   end
 
+  def test_can_handle_spaces_between_all_args
+    name, args = @app.parse_task_string("name[ one , two ,\tthree , \tfour ]")
+    assert_equal "name", name
+    assert_equal ["one", "two", "three", "four"], args
+  end
+
   def test_keeps_embedded_spaces
     name, args = @app.parse_task_string("name[a one ana, two]")
     assert_equal "name", name