diff --git a/parso/python/normalizer.py b/parso/python/normalizer.py
index 16a9fd7..1df8656 100644
--- a/parso/python/normalizer.py
+++ b/parso/python/normalizer.py
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ class WhitespaceInfo(object):
             if part.type == 'comment':
                 self.comments.append(Comment(part, indentation))
 
-            if part.type not in ('tabs', 'spaces'):
-                indentation = ''
+            if part.type == 'indentation':
+                indentation = part.value
             else:
-                indentation += part.value
+                indentation = ''
         self.indentation = indentation
 
         self.newline_count = 2
diff --git a/parso/python/prefix.py b/parso/python/prefix.py
index ec851b7..9cb4ba3 100644
--- a/parso/python/prefix.py
+++ b/parso/python/prefix.py
@@ -18,23 +18,22 @@ class PrefixPart(object):
 
 _comment = r'#[^\n\r\f]*'
 _backslash = r'\\\r?\n'
-_whitespace = r' +'
-_tabs = r'\t+'
+_indentation = r'[ \t]+'
 _newline = r'\r?\n'
 _form_feed = r'\f'
 
-_regex = group(_comment, _backslash, _whitespace, _newline, _form_feed, _tabs)
+_regex = group(_comment, _backslash, _indentation, _newline, _form_feed)
 _regex = re.compile(_regex)
 
 
 _types = {
-    ' ': 'spaces',
+    ' ': 'indentation',
     '#': 'comment',
     '\\': 'backslash',
     '\f': 'formfeed',
     '\n': 'newline',
     '\r': 'newline',
-    '\t': 'tabs',
+    '\t': 'indentation',
 }
 
 
diff --git a/test/test_prefix.py b/test/test_prefix.py
index 2e47ebc..ec9f338 100644
--- a/test/test_prefix.py
+++ b/test/test_prefix.py
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ def test_simple_prefix_splitting(string, tokens):
     ('\r\n', ['newline']),
     ('\f', ['formfeed']),
     ('\\\n', ['backslash']),
+    (' \t', ['indentation']),
+    (' \t ', ['indentation']),
 ])
 def test_prefix_splitting_types(string, types):
     tree = parso.parse(string)