diff --git a/NetworkServerLookup.cpp b/NetworkServerLookup.cpp
index be872e715..3e0ec34a3 100644
--- a/NetworkServerLookup.cpp
+++ b/NetworkServerLookup.cpp
@@ -6,11 +6,13 @@
 #include <QString>
 
 std::tuple<QHostAddress, quint16>
-network_server_lookup (QString const& query
+network_server_lookup (QString query
 		       , quint16 default_service_port
 		       , QHostAddress default_host_address
 		       , QAbstractSocket::NetworkLayerProtocol required_protocol)
 {
+  query = query.trimmed ();
+
   QHostAddress host_address {default_host_address};
   quint16 service_port {default_service_port};
 
@@ -20,63 +22,64 @@ network_server_lookup (QString const& query
       int port_colon_index {-1};
 
       if ('[' == query[0])
-	{
-	  // assume IPv6 combined address/port syntax [<address>]:<port>
-	  auto close_bracket_index = query.lastIndexOf (']');
-	  host_name = query.mid (1, close_bracket_index - 1);
-	  port_colon_index = query.indexOf (':', close_bracket_index);
-	}
+        {
+          // assume IPv6 combined address/port syntax [<address>]:<port>
+          auto close_bracket_index = query.lastIndexOf (']');
+          host_name = query.mid (1, close_bracket_index - 1);
+          port_colon_index = query.indexOf (':', close_bracket_index);
+        }
       else
-	{
-	  port_colon_index = query.lastIndexOf (':');
-	  host_name = query.left (port_colon_index);
-	}
+        {
+          port_colon_index = query.lastIndexOf (':');
+          host_name = query.left (port_colon_index);
+        }
+      host_name = host_name.trimmed ();
 
       if (port_colon_index >= 0)
-	{
-	  bool ok;
-	  service_port = query.mid (port_colon_index + 1).toUShort (&ok);
-	  if (!ok)
-	    {
-	      throw std::runtime_error {"network server lookup error: invalid port"};
-	    }
-	}
+        {
+          bool ok;
+          service_port = query.mid (port_colon_index + 1).trimmed ().toUShort (&ok);
+          if (!ok)
+            {
+              throw std::runtime_error {"network server lookup error: invalid port"};
+            }
+        }
     }
 
   if (!host_name.isEmpty ())
     {
       auto host_info = QHostInfo::fromName (host_name);
       if (host_info.addresses ().isEmpty ())
-	{
-	  throw std::runtime_error {"network server lookup error: host name lookup failed"};
-	}
+        {
+          throw std::runtime_error {"network server lookup error: host name lookup failed"};
+        }
 
       bool found {false};
       for (int i {0}; i < host_info.addresses ().size () && !found; ++i)
-	{
-	  host_address = host_info.addresses ().at (i);
-	  switch (required_protocol)
-	    {
-	    case QAbstractSocket::IPv4Protocol:
-	    case QAbstractSocket::IPv6Protocol:
-	      if (required_protocol != host_address.protocol ())
-		{
-		  break;
-		}
-	      // drop through
+        {
+          host_address = host_info.addresses ().at (i);
+          switch (required_protocol)
+            {
+            case QAbstractSocket::IPv4Protocol:
+            case QAbstractSocket::IPv6Protocol:
+              if (required_protocol != host_address.protocol ())
+                {
+                  break;
+                }
+              // drop through
 
-	    case QAbstractSocket::AnyIPProtocol:
-	      found = true;
-	      break;
+            case QAbstractSocket::AnyIPProtocol:
+              found = true;
+              break;
 
-	    default:
-	      throw std::runtime_error {"network server lookup error: invalid required protocol"};
-	    }
-	}
+            default:
+              throw std::runtime_error {"network server lookup error: invalid required protocol"};
+            }
+        }
       if (!found)
-	{
-	  throw std::runtime_error {"network server lookup error: no suitable host address found"};
-	}
+        {
+          throw std::runtime_error {"network server lookup error: no suitable host address found"};
+        }
     }
 
   return std::make_tuple (host_address, service_port);
diff --git a/NetworkServerLookup.hpp b/NetworkServerLookup.hpp
index 1f21ad591..7c7c9d119 100644
--- a/NetworkServerLookup.hpp
+++ b/NetworkServerLookup.hpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class QString;
 // returned in the first member of the result tuple.
 //
 std::tuple<QHostAddress, quint16>
-network_server_lookup (QString const& query
+network_server_lookup (QString query
 		       , quint16 default_service_port
 		       , QHostAddress default_host_address = QHostAddress::LocalHost
 		       , QAbstractSocket::NetworkLayerProtocol protocol = QAbstractSocket::AnyIPProtocol);