diff --git a/cmake/build/options.cmake b/cmake/build/options.cmake
index 4b9d23ba..264678dc 100644
--- a/cmake/build/options.cmake
+++ b/cmake/build/options.cmake
@@ -51,8 +51,13 @@ option(CXXLIB_GCC         "Link against stdlibc++"     OFF)
 option(BUILD_IPC_MSG      "Build ipc messager"         ON)
 option(BUILD_TESTS        "Build testsuite"            OFF)
 option(DEBUG_LOGGER       "Enable extra debug logging" OFF)
-option(VERBOSE_TRACELOG   "Enable verbose trace logs"  OFF)
+option(DEBUG_LOGGER_TRACE "Enable verbose trace logs"  OFF)
 option(DEBUG_HINTS        "Enable hints rendering"     OFF)
+option(DEBUG_WHITESPACE   "Enable whitespace debug"    OFF)
+
+if(NOT DEBUG_LOGGER AND DEBUG_LOGGER_TRACE)
+  set(DEBUG_LOGGER_TRACE OFF)
+endif()
 
 option(ENABLE_CCACHE      "Enable ccache support"      OFF)
 option(ENABLE_ALSA        "Enable alsa support"        ON)
diff --git a/cmake/build/summary.cmake b/cmake/build/summary.cmake
index a46cbb9d..ae2abe07 100644
--- a/cmake/build/summary.cmake
+++ b/cmake/build/summary.cmake
@@ -56,8 +56,9 @@ message(STATUS "--------------------------")
 colored_option(STATUS " Build polybar-msg    ${BUILD_IPC_MSG}" BUILD_IPC_MSG "32;1" "37;2")
 colored_option(STATUS " Build testsuite      ${BUILD_TESTS}" BUILD_TESTS "32;1" "37;2")
 colored_option(STATUS " Debug logging        ${DEBUG_LOGGER}" DEBUG_LOGGER "32;1" "37;2")
-colored_option(STATUS " Verbose tracing      ${VERBOSE_TRACELOG}" VERBOSE_TRACELOG "32;1" "37;2")
+colored_option(STATUS " + Verbose tracing    ${DEBUG_LOGGER_TRACE}" DEBUG_LOGGER_TRACE "32;1" "37;2")
 colored_option(STATUS " Draw debug hints     ${DEBUG_HINTS}" DEBUG_HINTS "32;1" "37;2")
+colored_option(STATUS " Draw whitespace      ${DEBUG_WHITESPACE}" DEBUG_WHITESPACE "32;1" "37;2")
 colored_option(STATUS " Enable ccache        ${ENABLE_CCACHE}" ENABLE_CCACHE "32;1" "37;2")
 message(STATUS "--------------------------")
 colored_option(STATUS " Enable alsa          ${ENABLE_ALSA}" ENABLE_ALSA "32;1" "37;2")
diff --git a/include/components/logger.hpp b/include/components/logger.hpp
index 03f90634..c76c8342 100644
--- a/include/components/logger.hpp
+++ b/include/components/logger.hpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class logger {
   void trace(string message, Args... args) const {
     output(loglevel::TRACE, message, args...);
   }
-#ifdef VERBOSE_TRACELOG
+#ifdef DEBUG_LOGGER_TRACE
   template <typename... Args>
   void trace_x(string message, Args... args) const {
     output(loglevel::TRACE, message, args...);
diff --git a/include/settings.hpp.cmake b/include/settings.hpp.cmake
index a8a890a7..51a836d6 100644
--- a/include/settings.hpp.cmake
+++ b/include/settings.hpp.cmake
@@ -41,8 +41,9 @@
 #cmakedefine XPP_EXTENSION_LIST @XPP_EXTENSION_LIST@
 
 #cmakedefine DEBUG_LOGGER
-#cmakedefine VERBOSE_TRACELOG
+#cmakedefine DEBUG_LOGGER_TRACE
 #cmakedefine DEBUG_HINTS
+#cmakedefine DEBUG_WHITESPACE
 
 static const size_t EVENT_SIZE = 64;
 
diff --git a/src/components/bar.cpp b/src/components/bar.cpp
index 98830007..e2979cd5 100644
--- a/src/components/bar.cpp
+++ b/src/components/bar.cpp
@@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ void bar::handle(const evt::expose& evt) {
  * pseudo-transparent background when it changes
  */
 void bar::handle(const evt::property_notify& evt) {
-#ifdef VERBOSE_TRACELOG
+#ifdef DEBUG_LOGGER_TRACE
   string atom_name = m_connection.get_atom_name(evt->atom).name();
   m_log.trace_x("bar: property_notify(%s)", atom_name);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/components/parser.cpp b/src/components/parser.cpp
index 94756f94..4e90272b 100644
--- a/src/components/parser.cpp
+++ b/src/components/parser.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <cassert>
 
+#include "settings.hpp"
 #include "components/parser.hpp"
 #include "components/types.hpp"
 #include "events/signal.hpp"
@@ -165,6 +166,13 @@ void parser::codeblock(string&& data, const bar_settings& bar) {
  * Process text contents
  */
 size_t parser::text(string&& data) {
+#ifdef DEBUG_WHITESPACE
+  string::size_type p;
+  while ((p = data.find(' ')) != string::npos) {
+    data.replace(p, 1, "-"s);
+  }
+#endif
+
   const uint8_t* utf{reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(&data[0])};
 
   // clang-format off