diff --git a/common/json-schema-to-grammar.cpp b/common/json-schema-to-grammar.cpp
index 11221a32f..10b9b3d1d 100644
--- a/common/json-schema-to-grammar.cpp
+++ b/common/json-schema-to-grammar.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ static std::string build_repetition(const std::string & item_rule, int min_items
     return result;
 }
 
-const std::string SPACE_RULE = "\" \"?";
+const std::string SPACE_RULE = "| \" \" | \"\\n\" [ \\t]{0,20}";
 
 struct BuiltinRule {
     std::string content;
diff --git a/examples/json_schema_to_grammar.py b/examples/json_schema_to_grammar.py
index cd444d010..ab19e20df 100755
--- a/examples/json_schema_to_grammar.py
+++ b/examples/json_schema_to_grammar.py
@@ -29,9 +29,8 @@ class BuiltinRule:
         self.content = content
         self.deps = deps or []
 
-# whitespace is constrained to a single space char to prevent model "running away" in
-# whitespace. Also maybe improves generation quality?
-SPACE_RULE = '" "?'
+# Constraining spaces to prevent model "running away".
+SPACE_RULE = '| " " | "\\n" [ \\t]{0,20}'
 
 PRIMITIVE_RULES = {
     'boolean'      : BuiltinRule('("true" | "false") space', []),
diff --git a/examples/server/public/json-schema-to-grammar.mjs b/examples/server/public/json-schema-to-grammar.mjs
index dc2468396..faed6a32c 100644
--- a/examples/server/public/json-schema-to-grammar.mjs
+++ b/examples/server/public/json-schema-to-grammar.mjs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // WARNING: This file was ported from json_schema_to_grammar.py, please fix bugs / add features there first.
-const SPACE_RULE = '" "?';
+const SPACE_RULE = '| " " | "\\n" [ \\t]{0,20}';
 
 function _buildRepetition(itemRule, minItems, maxItems, opts={}) {
   if (minItems === 0 && maxItems === 1) {
diff --git a/grammars/json.gbnf b/grammars/json.gbnf
index 064a53f8a..b6448c87b 100644
--- a/grammars/json.gbnf
+++ b/grammars/json.gbnf
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ string ::=
 number ::= ("-"? ([0-9] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15})) ("." [0-9]+)? ([eE] [-+]? [0-9] [1-9]{0,15})? ws
 
 # Optional space: by convention, applied in this grammar after literal chars when allowed
-ws ::= [ \t\n]{0,20}
+ws ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
diff --git a/grammars/json_arr.gbnf b/grammars/json_arr.gbnf
index bd1312d96..b3dc6f9b1 100644
--- a/grammars/json_arr.gbnf
+++ b/grammars/json_arr.gbnf
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ string ::=
 number ::= ("-"? ([0-9] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15})) ("." [0-9]+)? ([eE] [-+]? [1-9] [0-9]{0,15})? ws
 
 # Optional space: by convention, applied in this grammar after literal chars when allowed
-ws ::= [ \t\n]{0,20}
+ws ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
diff --git a/tests/test-json-schema-to-grammar.cpp b/tests/test-json-schema-to-grammar.cpp
index bea876bd1..a33104dea 100755
--- a/tests/test-json-schema-to-grammar.cpp
+++ b/tests/test-json-schema-to-grammar.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             object ::= "{" space ( string ":" space value ("," space string ":" space value)* )? "}" space
             root ::= object
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
             value ::= object | array | string | number | boolean | null
         )"""
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             date-time ::= date "T" time
             date-time-string ::= "\"" date-time "\"" space
             root ::= "[" space tuple-0 "," space uuid "," space tuple-2 "," space tuple-3 "]" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             time ::= ([01] [0-9] | "2" [0-3]) ":" [0-5] [0-9] ":" [0-5] [0-9] ( "." [0-9]{3} )? ( "Z" | ( "+" | "-" ) ( [01] [0-9] | "2" [0-3] ) ":" [0-5] [0-9] )
             time-string ::= "\"" time "\"" space
             tuple-0 ::= date-string
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         R"""(
             char ::= [^"\\\x7F\x00-\x1F] | [\\] (["\\bfnrt] | "u" [0-9a-fA-F]{4})
             root ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         R"""(
             char ::= [^"\\\x7F\x00-\x1F] | [\\] (["\\bfnrt] | "u" [0-9a-fA-F]{4})
             root ::= "\"" char+ "\"" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         R"""(
             char ::= [^"\\\x7F\x00-\x1F] | [\\] (["\\bfnrt] | "u" [0-9a-fA-F]{4})
             root ::= "\"" char{3,} "\"" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         R"""(
             char ::= [^"\\\x7F\x00-\x1F] | [\\] (["\\bfnrt] | "u" [0-9a-fA-F]{4})
             root ::= "\"" char{0,3} "\"" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         R"""(
             char ::= [^"\\\x7F\x00-\x1F] | [\\] (["\\bfnrt] | "u" [0-9a-fA-F]{4})
             root ::= "\"" char{1,4} "\"" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         })""",
         R"""(
             root ::= ("true" | "false") space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         R"""(
             integral-part ::= [0] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15}
             root ::= ("-"? integral-part) space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         })""",
         R"""(
             root ::= "\"foo\""
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         })""",
         R"""(
             root ::= "123"
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         })""",
         R"""(
             root ::= "\"red\"" | "\"amber\"" | "\"green\"" | "null" | "42" | "[\"foo\"]"
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         R"""(
             char ::= [^"\\\x7F\x00-\x1F] | [\\] (["\\bfnrt] | "u" [0-9a-fA-F]{4})
             root ::= "[" space string "]" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             integral-part ::= [0] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15}
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             root ::= "[" space string "," space number "]" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             decimal-part ::= [0-9]{1,16}
             integral-part ::= [0] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15}
             root ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         R"""(
             boolean ::= ("true" | "false") space
             root ::= "[" space boolean ("," space boolean)+ "]" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         R"""(
             boolean ::= ("true" | "false") space
             root ::= "[" space boolean? "]" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         R"""(
             boolean ::= ("true" | "false") space
             root ::= "[" space (boolean ("," space boolean)?)? "]" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             item ::= number | integer
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             root ::= "[" space item ("," space item){2,4} "]" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         })""",
         R"""(
             root ::= "\"" "ab" "c"? "d"* "ef" "g"+ ("hij")? "kl" "\"" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         })""",
         R"""(
             root ::= "\"" "[]{}()|+*?" "\"" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         })""",
         R"""(
             root ::= "\"" "\"" "\"" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             dot ::= [^\x0A\x0D]
             root ::= "\"" ("(" root-1{1,3} ")")? root-1{3,3} "-" root-1{4,4} " " "a"{3,5} "nd" dot dot dot "\"" space
             root-1 ::= [0-9]
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             c-kv ::= "\"c\"" space ":" space string
             char ::= [^"\\\x7F\x00-\x1F] | [\\] (["\\bfnrt] | "u" [0-9a-fA-F]{4})
             root ::= "{" space b-kv "," space c-kv "," space a-kv "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             a-kv ::= "\"a\"" space ":" space string
             char ::= [^"\\\x7F\x00-\x1F] | [\\] (["\\bfnrt] | "u" [0-9a-fA-F]{4})
             root ::= "{" space  (a-kv )? "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             c-kv ::= "\"c\"" space ":" space string
             char ::= [^"\\\x7F\x00-\x1F] | [\\] (["\\bfnrt] | "u" [0-9a-fA-F]{4})
             root ::= "{" space  (a-kv a-rest | b-kv b-rest | c-kv )? "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             d-kv ::= "\"d\"" space ":" space string
             d-rest ::= ( "," space c-kv )?
             root ::= "{" space b-kv "," space a-kv ( "," space ( d-kv d-rest | c-kv ) )? "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             integral-part ::= [0] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15}
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             root ::= "{" space  (additional-kvs )? "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             object ::= "{" space ( string ":" space value ("," space string ":" space value)* )? "}" space
             root ::= object
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
             value ::= object | array | string | number | boolean | null
         )"""
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             object ::= "{" space ( string ":" space value ("," space string ":" space value)* )? "}" space
             root ::= object
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
             value ::= object | array | string | number | boolean | null
         )"""
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
         })""",
         R"""(
             root ::= "{" space  "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             integral-part ::= [0] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15}
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             root ::= "{" space a-kv ( "," space ( additional-kvs ) )? "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             integral-part ::= [0] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15}
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             root ::= "{" space  (a-kv a-rest | additional-kvs )? "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             integral-part ::= [0] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15}
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             root ::= "{" space a-kv ( "," space ( b-kv b-rest | additional-kvs ) )? "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             foo ::= "{" space foo-a-kv "}" space
             foo-a-kv ::= "\"a\"" space ":" space string
             root ::= foo
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
             string ::= "\"" char* "\"" space
         )"""
     });
@@ -759,7 +759,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             integral-part ::= [0] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15}
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             root ::= alternative-0 | alternative-1
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             integral-part ::= [0] | [1-9] [0-9]{0,15}
             number ::= ("-"? integral-part) ("." decimal-part)? ([eE] [-+]? integral-part)? space
             root ::= "{" space a-kv "," space b-kv ( "," space ( d-kv d-rest | c-kv ) )? "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ static void test_all(const std::string & lang, std::function<void(const TestCase
             number-number-kv ::= "\"number\"" space ":" space number-number
             number-number-root-kv ::= "\"root\"" space ":" space number
             root ::= "{" space number-kv "}" space
-            space ::= " "?
+            space ::= | " " | "\n" [ \t]{0,20}
         )"""
     });
 }