diff --git a/lib/botlib.pm b/lib/botlib.pm
index 00b763f..ec23b79 100644
--- a/lib/botlib.pm
+++ b/lib/botlib.pm
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ sub logger {
 sub trim {
 	my $str = shift;
 
+	return $str if ($str eq '');
+
 	while (substr ($str, 0, 1) =~ /^\s$/xms) {
 		$str = substr ($str, 1);
 	}
diff --git a/lib/telegrambot.pm b/lib/telegrambot.pm
index 56fe300..40cae94 100644
--- a/lib/telegrambot.pm
+++ b/lib/telegrambot.pm
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ MYHELP
 				my @arr = split(/\n/, $text);
 
 				if ($#arr < 1) {
-					$reply = karmaSet ($chatid, substr ($text, 0, -2), substr ($text, -2));
+					$reply = karmaSet ($chatid, trim (substr ($text, 0, -2)), substr ($text, -2));
 				} else {
 					$just_message_in_chat = 1;
 				}
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ MYHELP
 				my @arr = split(/\n/, $text);
 
 				if ($#arr < 1) {
-					$reply = karmaSet ($chatid, substr ($text, 0, -2), substr ($text, -2));
+					$reply = karmaSet ($chatid, trim (substr ($text, 0, -2)), substr ($text, -2));
 				} else {
 					# just message in chat
 					$hailo->{$msg->chat->id}->learn ($text);