diff --git a/fs/coredump.c b/fs/coredump.c
index 0cd9056d79cc..c6acfc694f65 100644
--- a/fs/coredump.c
+++ b/fs/coredump.c
@@ -229,7 +229,8 @@ static int format_corename(struct core_name *cn, struct coredump_params *cprm,
 		 */
 		if (ispipe) {
 			if (isspace(*pat_ptr)) {
-				was_space = true;
+				if (cn->used != 0)
+					was_space = true;
 				pat_ptr++;
 				continue;
 			} else if (was_space) {