diff --git a/karaoke-split.lua b/karaoke-split.lua
index dcff754..a428b71 100644
--- a/karaoke-split.lua
+++ b/karaoke-split.lua
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ function split_line(subs, sel)
         line1 = subs[i]
         line2 = subs[i]
 
-        line1.text, line2.text = line1.text:match("(.-){split}(.*)")
+        split_expr = "(.-)%s*{split}%s*(.*)"
+        line1.text, line2.text = line1.text:match(split_expr)
 
         while line1.text ~= nil do
             line1.end_time = line1.start_time + getduration(line1.text)
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ function split_line(subs, sel)
             subs.insert(i, line2)
             line1 = subs[i]
 
-            line1.text, line2.text = line1.text:match("(.-){split}(.*)")
+            line1.text, line2.text = line1.text:match(split_expr)
         end
 
     end