diff --git a/lib/pkg-config.rb b/lib/pkg-config.rb
index 542d67c..74a30d2 100644
--- a/lib/pkg-config.rb
+++ b/lib/pkg-config.rb
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ def split_lib_flags(libs_command_line)
     all_flags = {}
     flags = []
     in_option = false
-    libs_command_line.gsub(/-([Ll]) /, "\\1").split.each do |arg|
+    libs_command_line.gsub(/(-[Ll])\s+/, "\\1").split.each do |arg|
       if in_option
         flags << arg
         in_option = false
diff --git a/test/test-pkg-config.rb b/test/test-pkg-config.rb
index 67893b3..60a1f10 100644
--- a/test/test-pkg-config.rb
+++ b/test/test-pkg-config.rb
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ def split_lib_flags(libs_command_line)
     @glib.__send__(:split_lib_flags, libs_command_line)
   end
 
+  def test_split_separated_lib_options
+    assert_equal(["-L/tmp/lib", "-lexample"],
+                 split_lib_flags("-L /tmp/lib -l example"))
+  end
+
   def test_split_libs
     assert_equal([
                    "-L/usr/local/Cellar/gtk+3/3.24.10/lib",