diff --git a/NOTES b/NOTES
index a6d980ee5..87cbf8f0a 100644
--- a/NOTES
+++ b/NOTES
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@ hledger project notes
 
 * TO DO
 ** bugs
-*** unclear parse error when only one space before amount
-    unexpected "$"
-    expecting letter or digit, ":", "/", "_", amount, comment or new-line
 *** handle unknown currencies
 ** compatibility
 ** basic features
diff --git a/Parse.hs b/Parse.hs
index 163908f1d..8bdbf4a00 100644
--- a/Parse.hs
+++ b/Parse.hs
@@ -210,8 +210,8 @@ ledgertransactions = (ledgertransaction <?> "transaction") `manyTill` (do {newli
 ledgertransaction :: Parser Transaction
 ledgertransaction = do
   many1 spacenonewline
-  account <- ledgeraccount <?> "account"
-  amount <- ledgeramount <?> "amount"
+  account <- ledgeraccount
+  amount <- ledgeramount
   many spacenonewline
   ledgereol
   many ledgercomment
@@ -219,7 +219,9 @@ ledgertransaction = do
 
 -- account names may have single spaces in them, and are terminated by two or more spaces
 ledgeraccount :: Parser String
-ledgeraccount = many1 (alphaNum <|> char ':' <|> char '/' <|> char '_' <|> try (do {spacenonewline; do {notFollowedBy spacenonewline; return ' '}}))
+ledgeraccount = 
+    many1 ((alphaNum <|> char ':' <|> char '/' <|> char '_' <?> "account name") 
+           <|> try (do {spacenonewline; do {notFollowedBy spacenonewline; return ' '}} <?> "double space"))
 
 ledgeramount :: Parser Amount
 ledgeramount =