diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index d1db1e35..c30665c5 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Version 0.7.0
  - enhancement: new file template
  - fix: when an editor is created, its caret will be displayed even it doesn't have focus
  - enhancement: set mouse wheel scroll speed in the editor general option tab ( 3 lines by default)
+ - fix: don't highlight '#' with spaces preceeding it as error
 
 Version 0.6.8
  - enhancement: add link to cppreference in the help menu
diff --git a/RedPandaIDE/qsynedit/highlighter/cpp.cpp b/RedPandaIDE/qsynedit/highlighter/cpp.cpp
index e82f7fa4..56c688fa 100644
--- a/RedPandaIDE/qsynedit/highlighter/cpp.cpp
+++ b/RedPandaIDE/qsynedit/highlighter/cpp.cpp
@@ -409,7 +409,8 @@ void SynEditCppHighlighter::commaProc()
 
 void SynEditCppHighlighter::directiveProc()
 {
-    if (mLine[0]!='#') { // '#' is not first char on the line, treat it as an invalid char
+    QString preContents = mLineString.left(mRun).trimmed();
+    if (!preContents.isEmpty()) { // '#' is not first non-space char on the line, treat it as an invalid char
        mTokenId = TokenKind::Unknown;
        mRun+=1;
        return;