diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2252902a..022ad711 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 - Updated CHANGELOG.md
   - Renamed NetworkingDSc to NetworkingDsc in CHANGELOG.md - fixes [Issue #513](https://github.com/dsccommunity/NetworkingDsc/issues/513).
+- HostsFile
+  - Fix bad return data when line contains leading spaces - fixes [Issue #526](https://github.com/dsccommunity/NetworkingDsc/issues/526).
 - CI Pipeline
   - Updated pipeline files to match current DSC Community patterns - fixes [Issue #528](https://github.com/dsccommunity/NetworkingDsc/issues/528).
   - Updated HQRM and build steps to use windows-latest image.
diff --git a/source/DSCResources/DSC_HostsFile/DSC_HostsFile.psm1 b/source/DSCResources/DSC_HostsFile/DSC_HostsFile.psm1
index 279af660..8217bc4d 100644
--- a/source/DSCResources/DSC_HostsFile/DSC_HostsFile.psm1
+++ b/source/DSCResources/DSC_HostsFile/DSC_HostsFile.psm1
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ function Get-HostEntry
 
     foreach ($hosts in $allHosts)
     {
-        $data = $hosts -split '\s+'
+        $data = $hosts.Trim() -split '\s+'
 
         if ($data.Length -gt 2)
         {
diff --git a/tests/Integration/DSC_HostsFile.Integration.Tests.ps1 b/tests/Integration/DSC_HostsFile.Integration.Tests.ps1
index 20d5e621..dd2dd12b 100644
--- a/tests/Integration/DSC_HostsFile.Integration.Tests.ps1
+++ b/tests/Integration/DSC_HostsFile.Integration.Tests.ps1
@@ -140,6 +140,54 @@ try
                 $result.IPAddress              | Should -BeNullOrEmpty
             }
         }
+
+        Describe "$($script:dscResourceName)_Integration - Update single line with leading space" {
+            $configData = @{
+                AllNodes = @(
+                    @{
+                        NodeName  = 'localhost'
+                        HostName  = 'Host01'
+                        IPAddress = ' 192.168.0.1'
+                        Ensure    = 'present'
+                    }
+                )
+            }
+
+            $configFile = Join-Path -Path $PSScriptRoot -ChildPath "$($script:dscResourceName).config.ps1"
+            . $configFile -Verbose -ErrorAction Stop
+
+            It 'Should compile and apply the MOF without throwing' {
+                {
+                    & "$($script:dscResourceName)_Config" `
+                        -OutputPath $TestDrive `
+                        -ConfigurationData $configData
+                    Start-DscConfiguration `
+                        -Path $TestDrive -ComputerName localhost -Wait -Verbose -Force
+                } | Should -Not -Throw
+            }
+
+            It 'Should be able to call Get-DscConfiguration without throwing' {
+                { Get-DscConfiguration -Verbose -ErrorAction Stop } | Should -Not -Throw
+            }
+
+            It 'Should have set the resource and all the parameters should match' {
+                $result = Get-DscConfiguration | Where-Object -FilterScript {
+                    $_.ConfigurationName -eq "$($script:dscResourceName)_Config"
+                }
+                $result.Ensure                 | Should -Be $configData.AllNodes[0].Ensure
+                $result.HostName               | Should -Be $configData.AllNodes[0].HostName
+                $result.IPAddress              | Should -Be $configData.AllNodes[0].IPAddress.Trim()
+            }
+
+            It 'Should include the extra whitespace' {
+                "${env:SystemRoot}\System32\Drivers\Etc\Hosts" | Should -FileContentMatch "$($configData.AllNodes[0].IPAddress)`t$($configData.AllNodes[0].HostName)"
+            }
+
+            It 'Should not fail subsiquent Test invocations' {
+                $result = Test-DscConfiguration -Path $TestDrive
+                $result | Should -BeTrue
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
 finally
diff --git a/tests/Unit/DSC_HostsFile.Tests.ps1 b/tests/Unit/DSC_HostsFile.Tests.ps1
index 43d858b1..b7ebdcd6 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/DSC_HostsFile.Tests.ps1
+++ b/tests/Unit/DSC_HostsFile.Tests.ps1
@@ -297,6 +297,62 @@ try
                     { Set-TargetResource @testParams } | Should -Throw $script:localizedData.UnableToEnsureWithoutIP
                 }
             }
+
+            Context 'When a host entry has leading spaces' {
+                $testParams = @{
+                    HostName  = 'www.anotherexample.com'
+                    IPAddress = '127.0.0.1'
+                    Verbose   = $true
+                }
+
+                Mock -CommandName Get-Content -MockWith {
+                    return @(
+                        '# A mocked example of a host file - this line is a comment',
+                        '',
+                        '127.0.0.1       localhost',
+                        '# comment',
+                        '  127.0.0.1  www.anotherexample.com',
+                        ''
+                    )
+                }
+
+                It 'Should return absent from the get method' {
+                    (Get-TargetResource @testParams).Ensure | Should -Be 'Present'
+                }
+            }
+
+            Context 'When a host entry exists and is not correct, but has a leading space' {
+                $testParams = @{
+                    HostName  = 'www.contoso.com'
+                    IPAddress = '192.168.0.156'
+                    Verbose   = $true
+                }
+
+                Mock -CommandName Get-Content -MockWith {
+                    return @(
+                        '# A mocked example of a host file - this line is a comment',
+                        '',
+                        '127.0.0.1       localhost',
+                        '127.0.0.1  www.anotherexample.com',
+                        " 127.0.0.1  $($testParams.HostName)",
+                        '127.0.0.5  anotherexample.com',
+                        ''
+                    )
+                }
+
+                It 'Should return present from the get method' {
+                    (Get-TargetResource @testParams).Ensure | Should -Be 'Present'
+                }
+
+                It 'Should return false from the test method' {
+                    Test-TargetResource @testParams | Should -Be $false
+                }
+
+                It 'Should update the entry in the set method' {
+                    Set-TargetResource @testParams
+                    Assert-MockCalled -CommandName Set-Content
+                }
+            }
         }
     } #end InModuleScope $DSCResourceName
 }