diff --git a/__TEST__/hyperaudio-lite.test.js b/__TEST__/hyperaudio-lite.test.js
index 5b9ff0d..5caf057 100644
--- a/__TEST__/hyperaudio-lite.test.js
+++ b/__TEST__/hyperaudio-lite.test.js
@@ -281,6 +281,19 @@ test("getSelectionRange with valid selection", () => {
   expect(ht.getSelectionRange()).toBe("0.88,5.21");
 });
 
+test("getSelectionRange ignores leading whitespace from the previous word", () => {
+  const firstSpanText = document.querySelector('span[data-m="880"]').firstChild;
+  const lastSpanText = document.querySelector('span[data-m="4750"]').firstChild;
+  const range = document.createRange();
+  range.setStart(firstSpanText, firstSpanText.length - 1);
+  range.setEnd(lastSpanText, 3);
+  window.getSelection().removeAllRanges();
+  window.getSelection().addRange(range);
+
+  expect(range.toString().startsWith(" ")).toBe(true);
+  expect(ht.getSelectionRange()).toBe("2.56,5.21");
+});
+
 test("clearActiveClasses removes all active classes", () => {
   const spans = document.querySelectorAll('span');
   spans.forEach(span => span.classList.add('active'));
diff --git a/js/hyperaudio-lite.js b/js/hyperaudio-lite.js
index c86b2a3..c819c7d 100644
--- a/js/hyperaudio-lite.js
+++ b/js/hyperaudio-lite.js
@@ -658,14 +658,27 @@ class HyperaudioLite {
     // Get all relevant spans
     const allSpans = Array.from(this.transcript.querySelectorAll('[data-m]'));
 
-    // Find the first and last span that contain selected text
+    // Find the first and last spans that contribute non-whitespace text.
+    // Range#intersectsNode also returns true when only a word's trailing
+    // whitespace is selected, so inspect the actual intersection.
     let startSpan = null;
     let endSpan = null;
-    let selectedText = range.toString();
-    let trimmedSelectedText = selectedText.trim();
 
     for (let span of allSpans) {
-      if (range.intersectsNode(span) && span.textContent.trim() !== '') {
+      if (!range.intersectsNode(span)) continue;
+
+      const spanRange = document.createRange();
+      spanRange.selectNodeContents(span);
+      const intersection = range.cloneRange();
+
+      if (intersection.compareBoundaryPoints(Range.START_TO_START, spanRange) < 0) {
+        intersection.setStart(spanRange.startContainer, spanRange.startOffset);
+      }
+      if (intersection.compareBoundaryPoints(Range.END_TO_END, spanRange) > 0) {
+        intersection.setEnd(spanRange.endContainer, spanRange.endOffset);
+      }
+
+      if (!intersection.collapsed && intersection.toString().trim() !== '') {
         if (!startSpan) startSpan = span;
         endSpan = span;
       }
@@ -673,14 +686,6 @@ class HyperaudioLite {
 
     if (!startSpan || !endSpan) return null;
 
-    // Adjust start span if selection starts with a space
-    let startIndex = allSpans.indexOf(startSpan);
-    while (selectedText.startsWith(' ') && startIndex < allSpans.length - 1) {
-      startIndex++;
-      startSpan = allSpans[startIndex];
-      selectedText = selectedText.slice(1);
-    }
-
     // Calculate start time
     let startTime = parseInt(startSpan.dataset.m) / 1000;
 
@@ -700,8 +705,7 @@ class HyperaudioLite {
     let startTimeFormatted = (Math.round(startTime * 100) / 100).toFixed(2);
     let endTimeFormatted = (Math.round(endTime * 100) / 100).toFixed(2);
 
-    // Only return a range if there's actually selected text (excluding only spaces)
-    return trimmedSelectedText ? `${startTimeFormatted},${endTimeFormatted}` : null;
+    return `${startTimeFormatted},${endTimeFormatted}`;
   }
 
   getSelectionMediaFragment = () => {
diff --git a/js/hyperaudio-lite.mjs b/js/hyperaudio-lite.mjs
index 82f9f7c..6fc9717 100644
--- a/js/hyperaudio-lite.mjs
+++ b/js/hyperaudio-lite.mjs
@@ -658,14 +658,27 @@ class HyperaudioLite {
     // Get all relevant spans
     const allSpans = Array.from(this.transcript.querySelectorAll('[data-m]'));
 
-    // Find the first and last span that contain selected text
+    // Find the first and last spans that contribute non-whitespace text.
+    // Range#intersectsNode also returns true when only a word's trailing
+    // whitespace is selected, so inspect the actual intersection.
     let startSpan = null;
     let endSpan = null;
-    let selectedText = range.toString();
-    let trimmedSelectedText = selectedText.trim();
 
     for (let span of allSpans) {
-      if (range.intersectsNode(span) && span.textContent.trim() !== '') {
+      if (!range.intersectsNode(span)) continue;
+
+      const spanRange = document.createRange();
+      spanRange.selectNodeContents(span);
+      const intersection = range.cloneRange();
+
+      if (intersection.compareBoundaryPoints(Range.START_TO_START, spanRange) < 0) {
+        intersection.setStart(spanRange.startContainer, spanRange.startOffset);
+      }
+      if (intersection.compareBoundaryPoints(Range.END_TO_END, spanRange) > 0) {
+        intersection.setEnd(spanRange.endContainer, spanRange.endOffset);
+      }
+
+      if (!intersection.collapsed && intersection.toString().trim() !== '') {
         if (!startSpan) startSpan = span;
         endSpan = span;
       }
@@ -673,14 +686,6 @@ class HyperaudioLite {
 
     if (!startSpan || !endSpan) return null;
 
-    // Adjust start span if selection starts with a space
-    let startIndex = allSpans.indexOf(startSpan);
-    while (selectedText.startsWith(' ') && startIndex < allSpans.length - 1) {
-      startIndex++;
-      startSpan = allSpans[startIndex];
-      selectedText = selectedText.slice(1);
-    }
-
     // Calculate start time
     let startTime = parseInt(startSpan.dataset.m) / 1000;
 
@@ -700,8 +705,7 @@ class HyperaudioLite {
     let startTimeFormatted = (Math.round(startTime * 100) / 100).toFixed(2);
     let endTimeFormatted = (Math.round(endTime * 100) / 100).toFixed(2);
 
-    // Only return a range if there's actually selected text (excluding only spaces)
-    return trimmedSelectedText ? `${startTimeFormatted},${endTimeFormatted}` : null;
+    return `${startTimeFormatted},${endTimeFormatted}`;
   }
 
   getSelectionMediaFragment = () => {