diff --git a/basis/simple-flat-file/simple-flat-file.factor b/basis/simple-flat-file/simple-flat-file.factor
index 53f5f16425..721f4986a0 100644
--- a/basis/simple-flat-file/simple-flat-file.factor
+++ b/basis/simple-flat-file/simple-flat-file.factor
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ IN: simple-flat-file
     [ "#" split1 drop ] map harvest ;
 
 : split-column ( line -- columns )
-    "\t" split 2 head ;
+    " \t" split harvest 2 head ;
 
 : parse-hex ( s -- n )
     2 short tail hex> ;
diff --git a/basis/simple-flat-file/test1.txt b/basis/simple-flat-file/test1.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3437a61c38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/basis/simple-flat-file/test1.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#
+# Name: cp949 to Unicode table (for testing, partial)
+#
+0x00  0x0000  #NULL
+0x01  0x0001  #START OF HEADING
+0x02  0x0002  #START OF TEXT
+0x03  0x0003  #END OF TEXT
+0x04  0x0004  #END OF TRANSMISSION
+0x8253  0xAD2A  #HANGUL SYLLABLE KIYEOK WAE PIEUPSIOS
+0x8254  0xAD2B  #HANGUL SYLLABLE KIYEOK WAE SIOS
+0x8255  0xAD2E  #HANGUL SYLLABLE KIYEOK WAE CIEUC
+0x8256  0xAD2F  #HANGUL SYLLABLE KIYEOK WAE CHIEUCH
+0x8257  0xAD30  #HANGUL SYLLABLE KIYEOK WAE KHIEUKH
+0x8258  0xAD31  #HANGUL SYLLABLE KIYEOK WAE THIEUTH
+0x8259  0xAD32  #HANGUL SYLLABLE KIYEOK WAE PHIEUPH