diff --git a/networking/httpd.c b/networking/httpd.c
index 522e7eec0..620e680ac 100644
--- a/networking/httpd.c
+++ b/networking/httpd.c
@@ -1977,7 +1977,7 @@ static void handle_incoming_and_exit(const len_and_sockaddr *fromAddr)
 				 && prequest != request_HEAD
 #endif
 				) {
-					tptr = iobuf + sizeof("Content-length:") - 1;
+					tptr = skip_whitespace(iobuf + sizeof("Content-length:") - 1);
 					if (!tptr[0])
 						send_headers_and_exit(HTTP_BAD_REQUEST);
 					/* not using strtoul: it ignores leading minus! */