diff --git a/lib/core/common.py b/lib/core/common.py
index c72b26b6c..09c4704e0 100644
--- a/lib/core/common.py
+++ b/lib/core/common.py
@@ -684,9 +684,13 @@ def parseTargetUrl():
     __urlSplit = urlparse.urlsplit(conf.url)
     __hostnamePort = __urlSplit[1].split(":")
 
-    conf.scheme = __urlSplit[0]
-    conf.path = __urlSplit[2]
-    conf.hostname = __hostnamePort[0]
+    conf.scheme = __urlSplit[0].strip()
+    conf.path = __urlSplit[2].strip()
+    conf.hostname = __hostnamePort[0].strip()
+
+    if re.search(r'\s', conf.hostname):
+        errMsg = "invalid target url"
+        raise sqlmapSyntaxException, errMsg
 
     if len(__hostnamePort) == 2:
         try: