diff --git a/.bowerrc b/.bowerrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..69fad35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.bowerrc
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "directory": "bower_components"
+}
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index fbe05fc..8e3b2e4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 bower_components/
+node_modules
diff --git a/markdown.js b/markdown.js
index 08f2248..7b68c89 100644
--- a/markdown.js
+++ b/markdown.js
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ angular.module('btford.markdown', ['ngSanitize']).
             element.html(html);
           });
         } else {
-          var html = $sanitize(markdownConverter.makeHtml(element.text()));
+          var rtrim = /^[\s\uFEFF\xA0]+|[\s\uFEFF\xA0]+$/g;
+          var html = $sanitize(markdownConverter.makeHtml(element.text().replace(rtrim, '')));
           element.html(html);
         }
       }
diff --git a/markdown.spec.js b/markdown.spec.js
index a6dc3a4..4e6c6bc 100644
--- a/markdown.spec.js
+++ b/markdown.spec.js
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ describe('btfMarkdown', function () {
     expect(elt.html()).toBe('<p><em>hi</em></p>');
   });
 
+  it('should trim spaces', function () {
+    var elt = angular.element('<btf-markdown>    *hi*     </btf-markdown>');
+    $compile(elt)($rootScope);
+    expect(elt.html()).toBe('<p><em>hi</em></p>');
+  });
+
   it('should work as an attribute', function () {
     var elt = angular.element('<div btf-markdown>*hi*</div>');
     $compile(elt)($rootScope);