diff --git a/plugin/__init__.py b/plugin/__init__.py
index fa3cccf..e19f9f2 100644
--- a/plugin/__init__.py
+++ b/plugin/__init__.py
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ class AnkiConnect:
 
         # dupeOrEmpty returns if a note is a global duplicate
         # the rest of the function checks to see if the note is a duplicate in the deck
-        val = note.fields[0].strip()
+        val = note.fields[0]
         did = deck['id']
         csum = anki.utils.fieldChecksum(val)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_debug.py b/tests/test_debug.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ad1ef02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_debug.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+import unittest
+import util
+
+
+class TestNotes(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        util.invoke('createDeck', deck='test')
+
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        util.invoke('deleteDecks', decks=['test'], cardsToo=True)
+
+
+    def test_bug164(self):
+        note = {'deckName': 'test', 'modelName': 'Basic', 'fields': {'Front': ' Whitespace\n', 'Back': ''}, 'options': { 'allowDuplicate': False, 'duplicateScope': 'deck'}}
+        util.invoke('addNote', note=note)
+        self.assertRaises(Exception, lambda: util.invoke('addNote', note=note))
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()