diff --git a/lib/travis/model/repository/settings.rb b/lib/travis/model/repository/settings.rb
index eaa87a712..02c12dd12 100644
--- a/lib/travis/model/repository/settings.rb
+++ b/lib/travis/model/repository/settings.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ class EnvVar < Travis::Settings::Model
     attribute :repository_id, Integer
 
     validates :name, presence: true
+
+    def value=(value)
+      super(value.strip)
+    end
   end
 
   class SshKey < Travis::Settings::Model
diff --git a/spec/travis/model/repository/settings_spec.rb b/spec/travis/model/repository/settings_spec.rb
index 146d6ad0b..5bfa0eb6e 100644
--- a/spec/travis/model/repository/settings_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/travis/model/repository/settings_spec.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@
       settings.env_vars.public.length.should == 1
       settings.env_vars.public.first.name.should == 'PUBLIC_VAR'
     end
+
+    it 'strips leading whitespace from the variable value' do
+      var = Repository::Settings::EnvVar.new
+      var.update(name: 'FOO', value: ' foo', public: false)
+      var.value.decrypt.should == 'foo'
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#maximum_number_of_builds' do