diff --git a/autoload/airline/init.vim b/autoload/airline/init.vim
index 3af9871..f5276d4 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/init.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/init.vim
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ function! airline#init#bootstrap()
         \ 'linenr': get(g:, 'airline_linecolumn_prefix', get(g:, 'airline_powerline_fonts', 0) ? "\ue0a1" : ':' ),
         \ 'branch': get(g:, 'airline_branch_prefix', get(g:, 'airline_powerline_fonts', 0) ? "\ue0a0" : ''),
         \ 'modified': '+',
-        \ 'space': "\ua0",
+        \ 'space': ' ',
         \ }, 'keep')
 
   call airline#parts#define('mode', {
diff --git a/autoload/airline/util.vim b/autoload/airline/util.vim
index 47cddfa..b97c086 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/util.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/util.vim
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ function! airline#util#append(text, minwidth)
   if a:minwidth > 0 && winwidth(0) < a:minwidth
     return ''
   endif
-  return empty(a:text) ? '' : s:spc.g:airline_left_alt_sep.s:spc.a:text
+  let prefix = s:spc == "\ua0" ? s:spc : s:spc.s:spc
+  return empty(a:text) ? '' : prefix.g:airline_left_alt_sep.s:spc.a:text
 endfunction
 
 function! airline#util#prepend(text, minwidth)
diff --git a/t/init.vim b/t/init.vim
index e6e3eb6..a7d3d2c 100644
--- a/t/init.vim
+++ b/t/init.vim
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ describe 'init sections'
   end
 
   it 'section c should be file'
-    Expect g:airline_section_c == '%<%f%m %#__accent_red#%{airline#util#wrap(airline#parts#readonly(),0)}%#__restore__#'
+    Expect g:airline_section_c == '%<%f%m %#__accent_red#%{airline#util#wrap(airline#parts#readonly(),0)}%#__restore__#'
   end
 
   it 'section x should be filetype'
diff --git a/t/section.vim b/t/section.vim
index 7781651..034440c 100644
--- a/t/section.vim
+++ b/t/section.vim
@@ -57,13 +57,13 @@ describe 'section'
 
   it 'should force add separators for raw and missing keys'
     let s = airline#section#create_left(['asdf', 'raw'])
-    Expect s == 'asdf > raw'
+    Expect s == 'asdf > raw'
     let s = airline#section#create_left(['asdf', 'aaaa', 'raw'])
-    Expect s == 'asdf > aaaa > raw'
+    Expect s == 'asdf > aaaa > raw'
     let s = airline#section#create_right(['raw', '%f'])
-    Expect s == 'raw < %f'
+    Expect s == 'raw < %f'
     let s = airline#section#create_right(['%t', 'asdf', '%{getcwd()}'])
-    Expect s == '%t < asdf < %{getcwd()}'
+    Expect s == '%t < asdf < %{getcwd()}'
   end
 
   it 'should empty out parts that do not pass their condition'
diff --git a/t/util.vim b/t/util.vim
index c438f2f..913de9d 100644
--- a/t/util.vim
+++ b/t/util.vim
@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@ describe 'util'
 
   it 'has append wrapper function'
     Expect airline#util#append('', 0) == ''
-    Expect airline#util#append('1', 0) == ' > 1'
+    Expect airline#util#append('1', 0) == '  > 1'
   end
 
   it 'has prepend wrapper function'
     Expect airline#util#prepend('', 0) == ''
-    Expect airline#util#prepend('1', 0) == '1 < '
+    Expect airline#util#prepend('1', 0) == '1 < '
   end
 
   it 'has getwinvar function'
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ describe 'util'
   end
 
   it 'should ignore minwidth if less than 0'
-    Expect airline#util#append('foo', -1) == ' > foo'
-    Expect airline#util#prepend('foo', -1) == 'foo < '
+    Expect airline#util#append('foo', -1) == '  > foo'
+    Expect airline#util#prepend('foo', -1) == 'foo < '
     Expect airline#util#wrap('foo', -1) == 'foo'
   end