diff --git a/loopy/kernel/array.py b/loopy/kernel/array.py
index 21db8c0d4527149ab3dc72c33f5d31adb6745234..8cb4eee8755d3c4547a9652ce222c115e0425f9a 100644
--- a/loopy/kernel/array.py
+++ b/loopy/kernel/array.py
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ def parse_array_dim_tag(tag, default_target_axis=0):
         raise TypeError("arg dimension implementation tag must be "
                 "string or tag object")
 
+    tag = tag.strip()
+
     if tag.startswith("stride:"):
         from loopy.symbolic import parse
         return FixedStrideArrayDimTag(parse(tag[7:]))