diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index aae837086..a2400506a 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2007-11-28 Jim Sack <jgsack@san.rr.com>
+        * src/GrampsDb/_ReadGedcom.py : remove trail whitespace (readahead)
+        fixes (possible) discarded reference due to bogus handles that get created
+        when the reference looks like "@REF_ID@ " (note space after)
+	This is a forward-port of the 2.2.x fix for issue #1399
+
 2007-11-28  Douglas S. Blank  <dblank@cs.brynmawr.edu>
 	* src/ReportBase/Makefile.am: removed _MenuOptions.py
 	* src/PluginUtils/Makefile.am: added _MenuOptions.py
diff --git a/src/GrampsDbUtils/_GedcomLex.py b/src/GrampsDbUtils/_GedcomLex.py
index 77d7de844..84c2f9838 100644
--- a/src/GrampsDbUtils/_GedcomLex.py
+++ b/src/GrampsDbUtils/_GedcomLex.py
@@ -360,7 +360,8 @@ class Reader:
                 return
 
             try:
-                line = line.strip('\n\r').split(None, 2) + ['']
+                # the space ensures no trailing whitespace on last parm
+                line = line.strip(' \n\r').split(None, 2) + ['']
                 level = int(line[0])
             except:
                 continue