diff --git a/autotests/desktoptojsontest.cpp b/autotests/desktoptojsontest.cpp
--- a/autotests/desktoptojsontest.cpp
+++ b/autotests/desktoptojsontest.cpp
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
         // test conversion of a currently existing .desktop file (excluding most of the translations):
         QByteArray kdevInput =
             "[Desktop Entry]\n"
-            "Type=Service\n"
+            "Type = Service\n"
             "Icon=text-x-c++src\n"
             "Exec=blubb\n"
             "Comment=C/C++ Language Support\n"
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@
         // test conversion of kcookiejar.desktop (for some reason the wrong boolean values were committed)
         QByteArray kcookiejarInput =
         "[Desktop Entry]\n"
-        "Type=Service\n"
+        "Type= Service\n"
         "Name=Cookie Jar\n"
         "Comment=Stores network cookies\n"
         "X-KDE-ServiceTypes=KDEDModule\n"
diff --git a/src/lib/plugin/desktopfileparser.cpp b/src/lib/plugin/desktopfileparser.cpp
--- a/src/lib/plugin/desktopfileparser.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/plugin/desktopfileparser.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 #include <QJsonObject>
 #include <QMutex>
 #include <QStandardPaths>
+#include <QRegularExpression>
+#include <QRegularExpressionMatch>
 
 // in the desktoptojson binary enable debug messages by default, in the library only warning messages
 #ifdef BUILDING_DESKTOPTOJSON_TOOL
@@ -226,9 +228,12 @@
             *nextGroup = name;
             break;
         }
-        if (line.startsWith(QByteArrayLiteral("Type="))) {
-            // TODO: should we also have to accept spaces around equals here?
-            type = line.mid(qstrlen("Type="));
+
+        const static QRegularExpression typeEntryRegex(
+                QStringLiteral("^Type\\s*=\\s*(.*)$"));
+        const auto match = typeEntryRegex.match(QString::fromUtf8(line));
+        if (match.hasMatch()) {
+            type = match.captured(1).toUtf8();
         }
     }
     return type;