diff --git a/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js b/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js
index 9f7fd99f..4c16c93b 100644
--- a/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js
+++ b/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js
@@ -4095,7 +4095,7 @@ dom.importCssString(".normal-mode .ace_cursor{\
       var min = cm.firstLine();
       var max = cm.lastLine();
       var start, end, i = line;
-      function isEmpty(i) { return !cm.getLine(i); }
+      function isEmpty(i) { return !/\S/.test(cm.getLine(i)); }
       function isBoundary(i, dir, any) {
         if (any) { return isEmpty(i) != isEmpty(i + dir); }
         return !isEmpty(i) && isEmpty(i + dir);