diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/products/units_controller.js.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/products/units_controller.js.coffee
index c9c5807af3..a84f048580 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/products/units_controller.js.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/products/units_controller.js.coffee
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ angular.module("admin.products")
 
     $scope.processUnitValueWithDescription = ->
       if $scope.product.master.hasOwnProperty("unit_value_with_description")
-        match = $scope.product.master.unit_value_with_description.match(/^([\d\.]+(?= |$)|)( |)(.*)$/)
+        match = $scope.product.master.unit_value_with_description.match(/^([\d\.]+(?= *|$)|)( *)(.*)$/)
         if match
           $scope.product.master.unit_value  = parseFloat(match[1])
           $scope.product.master.unit_value  = null if isNaN($scope.product.master.unit_value)
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/products/units_controller_spec.js.coffee b/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/products/units_controller_spec.js.coffee
index c5f104f07a..b846126711 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/products/units_controller_spec.js.coffee
+++ b/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/products/units_controller_spec.js.coffee
@@ -53,3 +53,15 @@ describe "unitsCtrl", ->
         scope.processUnitValueWithDescription()
         expect(scope.product.master.unit_value).toEqual null
         expect(scope.product.master.unit_description).toEqual "boxes 12"
+
+      it "does not require whitespace to split unit value and description", ->
+        scope.product.master.unit_value_with_description = "12boxes"
+        scope.processUnitValueWithDescription()
+        expect(scope.product.master.unit_value).toEqual 12
+        expect(scope.product.master.unit_description).toEqual "boxes"
+
+      it "once a whitespace occurs, all subsequent numerical characters are counted as description", ->
+        scope.product.master.unit_value_with_description = "123 54 boxes"
+        scope.processUnitValueWithDescription()
+        expect(scope.product.master.unit_value).toEqual 123
+        expect(scope.product.master.unit_description).toEqual "54 boxes"