diff --git a/apps/web/src/server/utils/contact-variable-replacement.ts b/apps/web/src/server/utils/contact-variable-replacement.ts
index 4f37dc894..5ae2384ab 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/server/utils/contact-variable-replacement.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/server/utils/contact-variable-replacement.ts
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ export function replaceContactVariables(
         return contactValue;
       }
 
-      return fallback ?? "";
+      // The regex lets whitespace before `}}` fall into the fallback capture
+      return fallback?.trim() ?? "";
     },
   );
 }
diff --git a/apps/web/src/server/utils/contact-variable-replacement.unit.test.ts b/apps/web/src/server/utils/contact-variable-replacement.unit.test.ts
index 7a2d1bb70..f4a98d078 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/server/utils/contact-variable-replacement.unit.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/server/utils/contact-variable-replacement.unit.test.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,21 @@ describe("replaceContactVariables", () => {
     ).toBe("Welcome, you!");
   });
 
+  it("does not keep whitespace padding in the fallback value", () => {
+    const contact = {
+      ...baseContact,
+      firstName: null,
+    } satisfies Contact;
+
+    expect(
+      replaceContactVariables(
+        "Hi {{ firstName, fallback= there }}, welcome!",
+        contact,
+        [...BUILT_IN_CONTACT_VARIABLES],
+      ),
+    ).toBe("Hi there, welcome!");
+  });
+
   it("uses fallback values for nullable built-in variables", () => {
     const contact = {
       ...baseContact,