--- modules/http/http_filters.c	
+++ modules/http/http_filters.c	
@@ -802,12 +802,21 @@ 
 {
     char *end;
-    if (r->status_line
-        && (strlen(r->status_line) <= 4
+    if (r->status_line) {
+        int len = strlen(r->status_line);
+        if (len < 3
             || apr_strtoi64(r->status_line, &end, 10) != r->status
-            || *end != ' '
-            || (end - 3) != r->status_line)) {
-        r->status_line = NULL;
+            || (end - 3) != r->status_line
+            || (len >= 4 && ! apr_isspace(r->status_line[3]))) {
+            r->status_line = NULL;
+        }
+        /* Since we passed the above check, we know that length three
+         * is equivalent to only a 3 digit numeric http status.
+         * RFC2616 mandates a trailing space, let's add it.
+         */
+        else if (len == 3) {
+            r->status_line = apr_pstrcat(r->pool, r->status_line, " ");
+        }
     }
 }