diff --git a/doc/fixes36.1 b/doc/fixes36.1
index b3d6a6a9f..6b9242148 100644
--- a/doc/fixes36.1
+++ b/doc/fixes36.1
@@ -283,6 +283,8 @@ when poly'd into a hider and engulfed, attempt to hide via #monster was blocked
 various monster/object/food/gold/trap detections were inconsistent in how they
 	behaved if performed while engulfed or underwater
 show in inventory which monster a leash is attached to
+using /? to look up something by name, supplying multiple spaces (with no
+	other characters) as the name triggered impossible "singular of null?"
 
 
 Fixes to Post-3.6.0 Problems that Were Exposed Via git Repository
diff --git a/src/pager.c b/src/pager.c
index 92c72787d..77ade35b0 100644
--- a/src/pager.c
+++ b/src/pager.c
@@ -1060,9 +1060,10 @@ coord *click_cc;
         case '?':
             from_screen = FALSE;
             getlin("Specify what? (type the word)", out_str);
-            /* mungspaces prevents querying for a space glyph (eg. a ghost),
-               but players almost always use '/' instead to look up glyphs */
-            mungspaces(out_str);
+            if (strcmp(out_str, " ")) /* keep single space as-is */
+                /* remove leading and trailing whitespace and
+                   condense consecutive internal whitespace */
+                mungspaces(out_str);
             if (out_str[0] == '\0' || out_str[0] == '\033')
                 return 0;