diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/fields.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/fields.py
index d43bc89ce8..82e2c206d2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/fields.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/fields.py
@@ -26,7 +26,12 @@ class Field(object):
         if not raw:
             return
         if self.name is None:
-            self.name, raw = raw.strip().partition(' ')[0::2]
+            # There are cases where partial index entries end with 
+            # a significant space, along the lines of
+            # <>Summary <>  ...  <>Hearing<>.
+            # No known examples of starting with a space yet.
+            # self.name, raw = raw.strip().partition(' ')[0::2]
+            self.name, raw = raw.lstrip().partition(' ')[0::2]
         self.buf.append(raw)
 
     def finalize(self):