diff --git a/Lib/fractions.py b/Lib/fractions.py
index 180cd94c28..419055b573 100644
--- a/Lib/fractions.py
+++ b/Lib/fractions.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
     (?=\d|\.\d)                           # lookahead for digit or .digit
     (?P<num>\d*|\d+(_\d+)*)               # numerator (possibly empty)
     (?:                                   # followed by
-       (?:/(?P<denom>\d+(_\d+)*))?        # an optional denominator
+       (?:\s*/\s*(?P<denom>\d+(_\d+)*))?  # an optional denominator
     |                                     # or
        (?:\.(?P<decimal>d*|\d+(_\d+)*))?  # an optional fractional part
        (?:E(?P<exp>[-+]?\d+(_\d+)*))?     # and optional exponent
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_fractions.py b/Lib/test/test_fractions.py
index bbf7709fe9..e106b573c3 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_fractions.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_fractions.py
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ def testFromString(self):
         self.assertEqual((3, 2), _components(F("3/2")))
         self.assertEqual((3, 2), _components(F(" \n  +3/2")))
         self.assertEqual((-3, 2), _components(F("-3/2  ")))
+        self.assertEqual((-3, 2), _components(F("-3 /2")))
+        self.assertEqual((-3, 2), _components(F("-3/  2")))
+        self.assertEqual((-3, 2), _components(F("-3    /  2")))
         self.assertEqual((13, 2), _components(F("    013/02 \n  ")))
         self.assertEqual((16, 5), _components(F(" 3.2 ")))
         self.assertEqual((-16, 5), _components(F(" -3.2 ")))
@@ -189,9 +192,6 @@ def testFromString(self):
         self.assertRaisesMessage(
             ValueError, "Invalid literal for Fraction: '/2'",
             F, "/2")
-        self.assertRaisesMessage(
-            ValueError, "Invalid literal for Fraction: '3 /2'",
-            F, "3 /2")
         self.assertRaisesMessage(
             # Denominators don't need a sign.
             ValueError, "Invalid literal for Fraction: '3/+2'",