diff --git a/lib/swot.rb b/lib/swot.rb
index bf11fb3f1f..dee1355225 100644
--- a/lib/swot.rb
+++ b/lib/swot.rb
@@ -131,8 +131,8 @@ module Swot
     # Returns true if the domain name belongs to an academic institution;
     #  false oterwise.
     def is_academic?(text)
-      text.strip!
       return false if text.nil?
+      text.strip!
       begin
         domain = get_domain(text)
         return false if domain.nil?
@@ -169,7 +169,6 @@ module Swot
     # Returns true if the domain name belongs to a known academic instition;
     #  false otherwise.
     def match_academic_domain?(domain)
-      domain.strip!
       File.exists?("#{File.expand_path(__FILE__+'/..')}/domains/#{domain.tld}/#{domain.sld}")
     end
 
@@ -177,7 +176,6 @@ module Swot
     #
     # Return the institution name, or nil if not found.
     def name_from_academic_domain(domain)
-      domain.strip!
       begin
         file = File.open("#{File.expand_path(__FILE__+'/..')}/domains/#{domain.tld}/#{domain.sld}", "rb")
         contents = file.read
diff --git a/test/test_swot.rb b/test/test_swot.rb
index 8edaaeee89..3399911785 100644
--- a/test/test_swot.rb
+++ b/test/test_swot.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ class TestEmail < Test::Unit::TestCase
     assert_equal Swot::is_academic?(nil),                             false
     assert_equal Swot::is_academic?(''),                              false
     assert_equal Swot::is_academic?('the'),                           false
+
+    assert_equal Swot::is_academic?(' stanford.edu'),                 true
+    assert_equal Swot::is_academic?('lee@strath.ac.uk '),             true
+    assert_equal Swot::is_academic?(' gmail.com '),                   false
   end
 
   should "returns name of valid institution" do