diff --git a/annotation/src/main/java/lcsb/mapviewer/annotation/services/MeSHParser.java b/annotation/src/main/java/lcsb/mapviewer/annotation/services/MeSHParser.java
index 84d2a479626c345beca3fd0d74f7ddbaacee88d5..e7882624e92231c63bf63f9ba5cb4cce581d5c45 100644
--- a/annotation/src/main/java/lcsb/mapviewer/annotation/services/MeSHParser.java
+++ b/annotation/src/main/java/lcsb/mapviewer/annotation/services/MeSHParser.java
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ public class MeSHParser extends CachableInterface implements IExternalService {
     if (meshID == null || meshID.getResource() == null) {
       throw new InvalidArgumentException("mesh cannot be null ");
     }
+    if (meshID.getResource().indexOf(" ") >= 0) {
+      return null;
+    }
 
     MeSH mesh = null;
     // look for Mesh in the cache
@@ -321,7 +324,7 @@ public class MeSHParser extends CachableInterface implements IExternalService {
     ArrayList<?> hitsList = (ArrayList<?>) hits.get("hits");
     for (Object object : hitsList) {
       StringMap<?> hit = (StringMap<?>) object;
-      String  id = (String) hit.get("_id");
+      String id = (String) hit.get("_id");
       result.add(new MiriamData(MiriamType.MESH_2012, id));
     }
     return result;
diff --git a/annotation/src/test/java/lcsb/mapviewer/annotation/services/MeSHParserTest.java b/annotation/src/test/java/lcsb/mapviewer/annotation/services/MeSHParserTest.java
index 8fb197d385fefbc71cb198e72db6a690aaeefb12..720bc0ebfcb9b47fc7c438691b5bb21e4bbfd505 100644
--- a/annotation/src/test/java/lcsb/mapviewer/annotation/services/MeSHParserTest.java
+++ b/annotation/src/test/java/lcsb/mapviewer/annotation/services/MeSHParserTest.java
@@ -118,6 +118,18 @@ public class MeSHParserTest extends AnnotationTestFunctions {
     }
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testIsValidWithSpace() throws Exception {
+    try {
+      MiriamData meshID = new MiriamData(MiriamType.MESH_2012, "some disease");
+      assertFalse(meshParser.isValidMeshId(meshID));
+
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      e.printStackTrace();
+      throw e;
+    }
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testGetInvalidMesh() throws Exception {
     try {