diff --git a/src/StreamCore.cc b/src/StreamCore.cc
index 0515dd6..f8b4408 100644
--- a/src/StreamCore.cc
+++ b/src/StreamCore.cc
@@ -187,9 +187,12 @@ bool StreamCore::
 parse(const char* filename, const char* _protocolname)
 {
     protocolname = _protocolname;
-    // extract substitutions from protocolname "name(sub1,sub2)"
+    // extract substitutions from protocolname "name ( sub1, sub2 ) "
     ssize_t i = protocolname.find('(');
-    if (i >= 0)
+    if (i < 0) i = 0;
+    while (protocolname[i-1] == ' ')
+        protocolname.remove(--i, 1);
+    if (protocolname[i] == '(')
     {
         while (i < (ssize_t)protocolname.length())
         {
diff --git a/streamApp/test.db b/streamApp/test.db
index 0ffa213..1cc4ba5 100644
--- a/streamApp/test.db
+++ b/streamApp/test.db
@@ -22,20 +22,20 @@
 record (stringout, "$(P):cmd")
 {
     field (DTYP, "stream")
-    field (OUT,  "@test.proto command terminal")
+    field (OUT,  "@test.proto command  terminal")
     field (PRIO, "HIGH")
     field (VAL, "")
 }
 record (stringout, "$(P):info")
 {
     field (DTYP, "stream")
-    field (OUT,  "@test.proto info terminal")
+    field (OUT,  "@test.proto info terminal   ")
     field (PRIO, "HIGH")
 }
 record (stringout, "$(P):request")
 {
     field (DTYP, "stream")
-    field (OUT,  "@test.proto request($(P):reply.VAL) terminal")
+    field (OUT,  "@test.proto request ($(P):reply.VAL) terminal")
     field (PRIO, "HIGH")
 }
 record (stringin, "$(P):reply")
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ record (stringin, "$(P):reply")
 record (stringout, "$(P):checksum")
 {
     field (DTYP, "stream")
-    field (OUT,  "@test.proto checksum($(CHKSUM=sum)) terminal")
+    field (OUT,  "@test.proto checksum     ($(CHKSUM=sum))   terminal")
 }
 record (stringin, "$(P):spy")
 {