diff --git a/parso/python/tokenize.py b/parso/python/tokenize.py
index 31f081d..c1f90aa 100644
--- a/parso/python/tokenize.py
+++ b/parso/python/tokenize.py
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ from parso.utils import split_lines
 
 TokenCollection = namedtuple(
     'TokenCollection',
-    'pseudo_token single_quoted triple_quoted endpats fstring_pattern_map always_break_tokens',
+    'pseudo_token single_quoted triple_quoted endpats whitespace '
+    'fstring_pattern_map always_break_tokens',
 )
 
 BOM_UTF8_STRING = BOM_UTF8.decode('utf-8')
@@ -114,6 +115,7 @@ def _create_token_collection(version_info):
     # Note: we use unicode matching for names ("\w") but ascii matching for
     # number literals.
     Whitespace = r'[ \f\t]*'
+    whitespace = _compile(Whitespace)
     Comment = r'#[^\r\n]*'
     Name = r'\w+'
 
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ def _create_token_collection(version_info):
     pseudo_token_compiled = _compile(PseudoToken)
     return TokenCollection(
         pseudo_token_compiled, single_quoted, triple_quoted, endpats,
-        fstring_pattern_map, ALWAYS_BREAK_TOKENS
+        whitespace, fstring_pattern_map, ALWAYS_BREAK_TOKENS
     )
 
 
@@ -354,7 +356,8 @@ def tokenize_lines(lines, version_info, start_pos=(1, 0)):
     token. This idea comes from lib2to3. The prefix contains all information
     that is irrelevant for the parser like newlines in parentheses or comments.
     """
-    pseudo_token, single_quoted, triple_quoted, endpats, fstring_pattern_map, always_break_tokens, = \
+    pseudo_token, single_quoted, triple_quoted, endpats, whitespace, \
+        fstring_pattern_map, always_break_tokens, = \
         _get_token_collection(version_info)
     paren_level = 0  # count parentheses
     indents = [0]
@@ -435,10 +438,14 @@ def tokenize_lines(lines, version_info, start_pos=(1, 0)):
 
             pseudomatch = pseudo_token.match(line, pos)
             if not pseudomatch:                             # scan for tokens
-                txt = line[pos:]
-                if txt.endswith('\n'):
+                if line.endswith('\n'):
                     new_line = True
-                yield PythonToken(ERRORTOKEN, txt, (lnum, pos), additional_prefix)
+                match = whitespace.match(line, pos)
+                pos = match.end()
+                yield PythonToken(
+                    ERRORTOKEN, line[pos:], (lnum, pos),
+                    additional_prefix + match.group(0)
+                )
                 additional_prefix = ''
                 break
 
diff --git a/test/test_tokenize.py b/test/test_tokenize.py
index 2951380..6911d99 100644
--- a/test/test_tokenize.py
+++ b/test/test_tokenize.py
@@ -227,3 +227,11 @@ def test_endmarker_end_pos():
 def test_indentation(code, types):
     actual_types = [t.type for t in _get_token_list(code)]
     assert actual_types == types + [ENDMARKER]
+
+
+def test_error_string():
+    t1, endmarker = _get_token_list(' "\n')
+    assert t1.type == ERRORTOKEN
+    assert t1.prefix == ' '
+    assert t1.string == '"\n'
+    assert endmarker.string == ''