diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/files/ini_file.py b/lib/ansible/modules/files/ini_file.py
index 2d6307f77a..f440f01de2 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/files/ini_file.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/files/ini_file.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ import re
 
 def match_opt(option, line):
   option = re.escape(option)
-  return re.match('%s( |\t)*=' % option, line) \
+  return re.match(' *%s( |\t)*=' % option, line) \
     or re.match('# *%s( |\t)*=' % option, line) \
     or re.match('; *%s( |\t)*=' % option, line)
 
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def match_opt(option, line):
 
 def match_active_opt(option, line):
   option = re.escape(option)
-  return re.match('%s( |\t)*=' % option, line)
+  return re.match(' *%s( |\t)*=' % option, line)
 
 # ==============================================================
 # do_ini